


Kevin Costner Called...

by jdoozi



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Human, Darcy Lewis is Tony Stark's Daughter, F/M, May appear to be slight OOC, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possible panic attack triggers.... apparently, possible triggers, stick with me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:56:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4210560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jdoozi/pseuds/jdoozi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is no "Princess locked away in a tower, awaiting her Knight in shining armor" story. </p><p>This is, however, a "Reluctant Heiress confined to Stark Tower and a bodyguard with a shiny arm" story.</p><p>The two are not the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to take on two stories at once?! I'm getting crazy up in here!

"It's a good job, Buck." Steve stands in the middle of the living space of Bucky's small cabin turned hideout from civilization. He had his hands on his hips and invoked his usual commanding presence reserved for when he talked anything related to his business. After Steve left the service he started a Bodyguard for hire company for dignitaries and such, recruiting former special forces soldiers like himself and Bucky. Steve's very first contract was an old Military Intelligence contact who happened` to own the largest weapons manufacturing company in the World. Steve caught a big break with being hired by Howard Stark because even after Stark's sudden passing, and the company going a different direction than really, really big guns, Steve and his men were kept on and have continued and exclusive contract for Stark Industries ever since.

"It's good pay and considerably low risk. It will be good for you to get back out in the world. You can't be a recluse forever." Steve's voice is ripe with concern at that last part.

"Not with that attitude, you can't." Bucky runs his hand over his full beard and smirks at his own cleverness because he knows it pisses Steve off. 

As predicted, Steve hands Bucky a pleading look paired with a ever-so-slight slump to his shoulders. Bucky hates that it makes him regret his playful dig. He gets so few chances to joke with anyone, what with living completely isolated and all.

"And I just gotta babysit the kid?" Bucky scratches the back of his head with his prosthetic. To be honest, Bucky is a little unsure of why Steve trekked it all the way out to Bucky's nook just to offer a nanny position.  

"Girl." Steve clears his throat. "Woman, actually. Tony Stark's love child. Stark has been able to help her keep a super low profile her whole life until some snoop found out a few months ago and she has since been thrust into the spotlight. She's not exactly happy about it and that paired with a recent cause for increased security detail are only making it worst. I could really use you on this one, Bucky. She actually not all that much younger than us and you've got a particular skill set maybe the older fellows I have been pairing with her don't."

"You need a sniper on this one?" What kind of shit was Steve running on this? Though, Bucky has got to hand it to him. Steve got closer to Bucky set perimeter around his abode before Bucky noticing than anyone else has before. Maybe Steve's turn in the Private sector was keeping his special forces training more honed that Bucky would assume. Maybe it would be refreshing to get out and run some drills.

"Charm." Steve offers and draws Bucky from his thoughts. Steve continues on with an amused grin after he realizes that Bucky finally processed what he had said. "Might make the transition easier on her. If she feels more looked out for than looked after."

"I hate to tell you, Punk but I don't think you'll find much charm left lingering around here anymore." Bucky gave a shrug. "Plus she sounds difficult. Poor little Heiress doesn't like her security detail? How many of your guys has she been through?"

"Since she was outed three months ago?" Steve puffs a hair from his forehead while looking up to recall. "Four." Bucky winces. Yep. Difficult al'right. "You'll be the fifth as soon as we get you a little bit of protocol training and extract Duncan."

"You're talking like I've already accepted it." Bucky knew that was deliberate.

"Haven't you though?" Steve smiles around his nod and goes to grab his coat from the back of one of the two chairs set of the handmade wood table. "I'll give you 3 days to get everything in order and the we'll take a week to get you set up. Meet me at 0800 outside the garage at Stark Towers. I trust you can find it. You're going to need a suit." Steve is listing everything off as he makes his way to the door and leaves no space with Bucky to turn him down.

"Anything else? Boss?" Bucky salutes towards Steve's back that indicates anything but respect. 

"Yeah. Get a haircut. You look like the God damn Unibomer out here." Steve lets himself out.


	2. That One Has Got Some Bite.

Three days later, Bucky pulls up to the gated garage entrance of Stark Tower without a minute to spare. Steve has obviously already been standing there for at least 15 waiting for him. Steve"s hands finds his suit pockets as Bucky slows his vintage Indian cycle near him. Steve points with the top of his head and directs Bucky to carry on pass the gate he just instructed be raised.

Once down inside Bucy finds a spot and shuts off his bike and unstraps his old Military sack from the back of his bike. He is hoisting it up one shoulder when Steve reappears through a door that Bucky assumes are stairs to street level.

Steve gives Bucky's appearance a once over and Bucky grows indignant at the stare. He braved into town for not only a haircut but  a shave too. The way the pretty little thing at the gas station about 40 miles before he reached the city had acted, he didn't think he looked half bad. 

Then he realized Steve was more so making mention of his attire. Bucky looked down at his white tee under his leather jacket paired with jeans and shrugged when he looked back up at Steve.

"I don't own a suit." Bucky says it as almost a challenge.

Steve sighs. "Come on. You can put on one of mine while we stash your stuff. There's been a change of plans." 

Both men file into the elevator and Steve takes talking to the ceiling. Something about overriding and taking them straight to Steve's floor. Bucky is just about to ask him who he is talking to when a polite British voice responses and the lift begins to move at rather faster than normal rate. Bucky actually braces himself with each palm behind him and flat on a wall. Steve laughs.

"It's JARVIS. Will get you guys properly introduced and your voice in the system for his recognition software. The speeding bullet train will be covered too... eventually." Bucky didn't like the way his friend from half his life says the last part it puts him on edge because he knows there is something he is not being told. 

The car stops and Steve moves into a hall. Bucky follows. He takes in the row of doors that assume to be housing. Bucky expected a little more pizzazz from luxury accommodations. 

"It designated essential employee housing. It ain't nothing grand but you can't beat free rent in Manhattan." Steve says as if he is reading Bucky's thoughts. "We'll get you squared away in a bit. First let's get you changed." Steve leads Bucky through a door. Immediately Bucky knows it to be Steve's place. Everything is so... neat. Tidy. Bucky knows it's not just from years in the service. That's just how Steve always was.

Steve carries on down a small hall and comes back after a moment carrying both a dark grey suit and a white shirt on two separate hangers. Draped across the hanger holding the shirt is an icy blue tie. Steve motions to another door. 

"You can change in the bathroom. Then we need to get a move on." He hands the hangers to Bucky and Bucky dutifully does as he's told. When Bucky reappears it is painfully obvious that though both he and Steve may be in the best shape imaginable, they were also shaped completely different. And Steve suits happened to be tailored exactly to his particular build. Bucky looks ridiculous. It's only cemented further when paired with his motorcycle boots. Steve takes inventory. "Well it's not like you would fit my shoes anyways." Steve shrugs. "Probably safer you have something you can run in." Steve hands Bucky a manila folder. "Here. Look this over."

Bucky gives it all a quick glance. It's information on a Darcy Lewis. No picture. Just facts. He commits as much as he can to memory in the 45 seconds he is allowed to pause to look it over. Then another 30 seconds to the elevator.

They step inside once again.

"So like I said. Change of plans. We're having to remove Duncan sooner than we thought. You're not going to get your intial grace period to learn all the protocol training before you begin. We'll go over it but you're going to have to learn as you can go on this one. I need to know you're up for it." This must have been what Steve was holding back.

"How much time do I got?"

"You don't. Duncan is already out. You're going in immediately. Buck, whatever you do. Do not let her know you don't know protocol. She will run you. And God, don't show fear." Bucky laughs and Steve faced remain serious. Bucky shoots him a look.

"Seriously?"

"It's easier if she doesn't know you don't know the drill. She might even think you're a little more 'laxed and it will endear you to her. Just keep her safe and we'll get you up to speed."

"Wait. Why is Duncan already out then. Did she fire him?"

The doors open and Steve steps out. "Worse. She tazzed him."

~*~

The foyer leading into the Tower's Penthouse was what Bucky had actually expected and made his original assessment of the employee floor seem like an obvious mistake. Waiting for them was a man Bucky recognized. He was the Husband of Bucky's ex. 

"Bucky this is Clint Barton. Head of surveillance. His eyes and one good ear are everywhere in the Tower outside of the living accommodation. Think of him as a birdie perched in the air ducts." Steve began the introductions.

"Barnes." Clint put out his hand for Bucky which Bucky accepted. "You look good, man. Natasha will be happy to hear you made it." Try as Bucky might, he couldn't detect any malicious pissing contest in Clint's words.

"You guys know each other?" The realizations scrolled across Steve's face and he nearly dropped his "all business" front to cringe at his oversight.

"Know of each other might be a better fit." Seriously, anyone else and Bucky would have decked 'em but he gets the impression he might actually wind up liking guy. That is if he stuck around long enough to. "Anywho, You're going to need all this. Cell phone. Non- traceable, except for an emergency GPS chip that needs to be manually activated. completely programmed with any of every number you'll need." Clint hands the phone over.

"No comms?" Bucky ask while eyeing the seemingly unimpressive phone.

"Not for the day to day stuff. And remember; low profile."  Steve reminds.

"Take off your coat and put on this holster." Bucky places the phone in his pants pockets and removes his coat to hand it to Clint and goes about putting on the offered item. "Your gun." Clint pulls out a handgun out of thin air. Bucky lifts a brow then goes about securing the chamber and double checking the safety before placing it in its place. "Your concealed weapon permit.  Probably better you don't ask how we got you one so quick and without your signature..."

Steve puts both palms up and his head down. 

"On that note, I am going in before Bucky is dumb enough to ask and we're all held accountable." He looks at Barnes. "When you're ready." Steve nods to him. 

Steve turns towards the room at the end of the hall and Bucky quickly grab the coat back from Clint. Clint smooths his lapels for him and pats Bucky on the arm. 

"Al'right. Showtime Barnes." Bucky nods and follows Steve. "For the love of God, don't let her see your fear!" Clint calls behind him. 

Bucky can't see around Steve but her can hear her. 

"Captain Rogers, I thought I told you. You don't have to keep arranging all these 'meet-cutes', thinly veiled as security concerns. If you want me to cut to the chase and make a man outa ya, I would be ever so happy to service my country." 

Christ, was this for real? He hasn't even set eyes on the woman and he can tell her words were dripping with a big 'Fuck You'.

"No fear, Barnes." He says under his breath. He steels himself and goes about moving to the side of Steve. She locks eyes on him right away.

"Oh, now I would totally swipe his V-card." She says to Steve but looks directly at Bucky. Bucky is certain it is the equivalent of a alpha dog establishing dominance. Well not on his watch.

Bucky puts a hand on a stuttering Steve's arm to let him know he's got this. 

"I can't talk for Stevie here but I assure you, that card has been good a swiped a long time ago" Bucky offers a grin he hasn't dusted off and used in quite some time but he remembers it had an incredible success rate.

He thinks time make no difference because 10 seconds has ticked by and Darcy has done nothing but stare at him with a blank expression.

Yep. This wasn't going to be as bad as anyone made it out to be. In fact now that he's had time to really look, this chick was down right beautiful. A knock out. Steve had really been holding out on him if it took him this long to find him a job with a gorgeous creature to ogle in the name of safety and get away with it.

Then she finds her voice. Rather she finds her laugh.  She gives two outward puffs with each sound and her chest moves with each of the pounds.

"Stevie, huh? Oh, I am sorry. Have you already claimed him for yourself? Are you guys like a 'thing'?" She brings up her hand and makes a dragging line with  a finger between the two men. Bucky pulls his hand from Steve with sharp snap.

Al'right. That had a little sting to it.

"Ms. Lewis," Steve interjects in their staring match. "This is James Barnes. He's your new security details "

"Ugh, you people are worst. Wasn't Duncan Doughnuts proof enough that I am no good at being followed around?"

"Ms. Lewis-" Steve begins again before he is cut off.

"Darcy. Steve. My name is Darcy." 

Duly noted. "Ms." was off the table or he risked the sharp lashing in her tone.

"Yes. Forgive me. Darcy, Sergeant Barnes- excuse me. James here is your new security detail. I know you are incredibly displeased with any sort of upgrade to your amount of coverage but that is a conversation best had with your Father present. Would you like for me to arrange something?"

Bucky watches the ping pong match of snarls go back and forth. Whatever laid under what Steve had just said was the equivalent of his serve scoring a point on Darcy's side of the table.

She slowly sucks in air between her teeth and Bucky can tell it's only a calculative measure in order to plot her next quip. But then she smiles. Her whole face lights up. Bucky would be awestruck by it if he wasn't terrified.

"No Captain Rogers. That won't be necessary. Thank you. Is there any thing else you needed to inform me of or do you plan to leave James and I to it then?" The transformation to a pleasant and docile creature was outstanding. He didn't buy it but remarkable just the same.

"Thank you, Darcy." Steve nods and Bucky wonders if Steve was dumb enough to think she was for real and he was going to win this war just because she forfeited the battle. Steve was always so incredibly daft when it came to women. "That means I will leave you to it then." He smiles broadly and places a hand on the outside of Bucky's elbow. "Darcy. Sergeant Barnes." He nods to both. "Allow me to let you two get acquainted." 

Bucky is certain Steve smile wasn't because he was feeding his best friend to the wolves... right?

Steve retreats and Bucky hears the door down the hall shut. Darcy hasn't taken her eyes off Bucky since Steve said his goodbyes.

Darcy crosses her arms and gives him a judgmental up and down before setting her eyes on his and raising her eyebrows in a question.

He clears his throat.

"Uh. Umm. It's, uh, nice to meet you Darcy. I'm uh sure we will really enjoy getting to-" She rolls her eyes and starts off to the closest door behind her. She slams it before he continues. " -know each. I am sure we will enjoy getting to know each other." He repeats to no one. "Al'right. Good first morning." He says while loosing his tie.


	3. All In A Days Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: Bucky says the "F word"... a lot.

Bucky was bored. Bucky was bored and hungry. It has been hours since "don't call me Ms. Lewis" stormed off and slammed her door like a child. Without any real invite or direction to go anywhere else, Bucky just kinda waited where she left him. 

Three excruciatingly long hours later, she appears. He stands quickly from the couch and readjust his suit. 

She clearly wasn't expecting him to still be in the main living area because as soon as she got her tan canvas messenger bag over her shoulder and the strap secured between her very generous breast, she looks up, surprised to see Bucky. She stops in her tracks.

"What are you doing up here?" Her wonder seems genuine.

"Waiting for you." Bucky pulls out to try and sound in control.

"Okay?... Well I guess it's nice I won't have to wait on you taking your sweet time getting up here from where ever it is you trolls hide until we need you. I am going to get a few things and then we can go." Darcy heads off and Bucky makes a mental note to ask Steve exactly where he can go until he's needed. He bets food probably would have been involved.

Darcy reappears shutting the top of her bag and securing it with a buckle. 

"Ready?" She asks him. He nods in return. He's as ready as he'll ever be anyways.

They make their way to the elevator and wait for it in complete silence though Bucky can feel her stealing side eye glances at him in the meantime. He thinks any other situation this is where he would come alive. He would have made a flirtatious joke or passed a salacious look. Leave a pretty girl practically panting. Though something told him Darcy would not appreciate the gesture.

The doors open and they file in. Bucky looks for the panel to press the call for the garage. He finds there isn't one. Darcy hasn't taken her eyes off him during his search. Her face grows a little mischievous. 

"Didn't cover this in training, huh?"

No fear, Bucky. Don't let her see your fear. 

"No, Gerald and I go way back." He smiles.  "Uh, Garage please,  Gerald." Bucky tries to imitate Steve's earlier action of talking towards the ceiling.

The elevator remains in place and Darcy chuckles.

"JARVIS. Ground level please." Darcy says as she slightly tilts her head up towards the ceiling.

"Of course,  Ms. Lewis." The walls answer.

The lift moves and Darcy's eyes stay firmly secure on the door though her triumphant grin says it all.

"Oh sure. The building is allowed to call you Ms. Lewis." Bucky says what he thinks is quietly under his breath but Darcy gives another chuckle. 

They reach their destination and Bucky is surprised when the doors open to so much sunlight. He assumed they would be making way underground to some driver.

"Hal! My buddy, my pal! How's Harrietta?" Darcy greets the older gentleman behind the security desk in the front lobby. 

"She's fine, Darcy. I'll tell her you asked about her. They find another detail for you already?" The older man nods towards Bucky. Bucky doesn't see much reason to introduce himself and stop them talk as if he wasn't standing right there because Darcy has already begun answering.

"What can I say? I am a woman in high demand." Darcy shrugs playfully and she and the older man laugh.

"Go easy on this one, Miss." The man says as Darcy and Bucky begin walking to the door.

"No promises!" Darcy shouts while walking backwards to face Hal.

As soon they are outside Bucky is assaulted by the noise. He remembers Manhattan, all of New York really, was loud but this was his first time back since being discharged. He must have blocked out most of the noise on the way in with his bike.

No, this was definitely unfiltered noise and despite growing up a bridge away, he's finding it all unnerving. His palms begin to sweat only moments before his brow. It's was all just so loud.

Furthermore his charge is walking three steps ahead of him and he is having a hard enough time concentrating.

"Don't you have a chauffeur around here somewhere? " He asks while trying to only focus on the task at hand.

Darcy swings back sharply.

"Look. I don't know what they told you but I do not take the cars. Ever. Okay? That is my one true solace from all the high society crap.  No cars. No drivers. Got it?" Darcy is firm with the last part to cement her point. "We're taking the Subway." She continues on.

Oh Lord. The Subway. All of those people. The noise. This was a mistake. He can't do this. Not in so much dense population.

"How about a cab then, huh? My treat?" Bucky asks hopeful. 

"Don't be like them, James. The Subway is no more dangerous for me then any other New Yorker, which isn't saying much but I'll be fine." Darcy says back over her shoulder. 

"Ma'am. As much as I appreciate the self importance, it's not really your comfort that I make the suggestion." 

Darcy snaps back offended. She looks like she got the equivalent of a verbal slap to the cheek. Then she takes in Bucky. Really takes in Bucky.

He lifts the sleeve covering his prosthetic arm to wipe his brow and the metal catches her eye. Bucky think her lip might dip into a bit of a frown but his pride won't let him confirm it.

"Yeah. Al'right." She says. "But you're paying. And no cheap tipping either! The Starks have an image to maintain." She leads him to hail a cab.

They ride in near silence after she gives the diver an address. Bucky doesn't recognize the area and Darcy doesn't offer any explanation so they just ride.

"Here." Darcy says reaching into her bag and retrieves a sandwich on sliced wheat bread, wrapped in wax paper and a banana.

"What's this for?" Bucky eyes it suspiciously. 

"Well I'm sure since it's painfully obvious no one has filled you in on anything. You probably didn't eat." He holds out the offering at eye level. He wasn't entirely sure it wasn't spiked with something. "Oh my Gawd! It's not poison! Take it!"

"I am completely informed of protocol but thank you. I must have been just eager to get to work this morning." He holds up the goods as he expresses his gratitude.

"Sure buddy. Sure." She looks out the window as the cab slows and pulls slightly to the curb.

Bucky pays the ridiculous toll and they gather themselves on the street. 

"Darcy! Darce!" A rather unkempt fellow charges towards them. Bucky immediately assesses the threat level. Bucky mindlessly counts just how many guns he, himself, would have been able to hide in the man's oversize and unwashed coat. Bucky immediately goes on high alert. When the man goes to reach into his coat, Bucky drops his lunch and reaches for his gun.

Darcy quickly puts her hand out and lays it on Bucky's arm before it makes it to his holster. "Whoa there, Rambo. Relax. He's my friend." She scolds him with a look before turning back to the long haired man.

"Hey Larry!" Darcy peps cheerfully.

Bucky gives the man a once over. He realizes he is not much older than himself. They may even be the same age. He's dirty and obviously homeless. When Bucky takes in the standard issue Army camo pants, a familiar pit forms.

"Larry" now holds up a book and remains none-the-wiser at almost being on the receiving end of Bucky's aim.

"Darcy. You were so right! Chapter 8? Lady Gia? The battle of the Wood Nyphms? Oh man!" Larry gestures wildly into the air as if reliving the whole scene again. 

"Right?! Pretty bad ass, huh?" Darcy goes in her bag and retrieves another book. Bucky notices her slip some cash bills between the covers before handing it over to the man then taking the book he held and stashing it in her bag. "Well this is the last in the series unfortunately but finish it up. Can you make lunch at the diner on Tuesday to commiserate and pick the next exciting adventure? I'm still kinda feeling the Sci-fi kick, honestly."

"I don't know, it's been awhile since I've enjoyed the Classics..."

"Larry, you got me to read Austen 6 months ago. I told you, there is at least a nine month wait between love stories." 

Larry laughs.

"That's because you need some action." He laughs again.

"Yeah, yeah." She says dismissively. "Tuesday? 11?"

"I'll be there." Larry starts his way across the street. Gesturing a weak salute with the palmed book.

Darcy turns to Bucky once more. All her warmth gone.

"You work for Steve, you must be a Vet, right?" She asks sharply.

Bucky nods.

"Yeah well so is he." Darcy points behind her to Larry's general directions. "How would you handle having a gun pulled on you where you live? Probably not great, huh?"

Bucky's head dips and he feels like utter shit. She was right. Hell, he couldn't even handle the Subway.

"If you think you're going to be some Hot Shot, tough guy, let me know now so we can get you booted the hell outa here before I find the need to shoot you myself." Bucky really focuses on her face after she finishes. She was outspoken. He liked it. He completely deserves this brow beating and he has no problem with her doing so. Then again he never had a problem with pretty women bossing him around.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. First day jitters. Won't happen again." He knows it sounds like a Bullshit exuse but he hopes the sencierty comes across.

Darcy nods sharply and bends to retrieve Bucky's forgotten food. She shoves it back at him. 

"Plus I gave you his lunch. Taking his lunch  _and then_ pulling a gun on him? That would have been a double dick move, man!"

Bucky doesn't know whether to laugh or not. He doesn't just to be sure and feels he made the right choice when Darcy carries on without further scolding.

They make it to a building. Non-descriptive, apartment housing. They walk up three flights and stop at the landing. 

"Al'right. See you in a bit." Darcy digs keys out of her bag.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?" God damn it, he needed to be filled in.

"Yeah, you stay here. I'm gonna go in for a bit. That not in your training?" She challenges.

She was taking him for a ride.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you-"

"Let me what? Enter my own house?"

He thought she lived in the Tower? He had two choices. He could ask some questions and show his cards or he could put an end to the conversation all together.

Bucky summoned a cold assertiveness all the way from his boot straps up. His chest grew and he stood straighter. He did not have time for a childhood game of keep away with the keys he has his hand out for.

"Geeze, fine. You gonna be all covert and do some macho sweep of my tiny one bedroom?" 

Bucky ignored her prodding for an augment and goes about unlocking the door. He slowly opens it with one hand and grabs the gun from his holster with the other. He gives Darcy a look that if she had any military training or respect for his job said: "Stay here while I secure the area".

Darcy had neither military training nor respect for his job so she rolled her eyes and followed behind him with a heavy sigh. She places her bag on the breakfast bar while Bucky finishes checking behind every door, shower curtain and large piece of furniture with his gun pointed directly out with both hands to steady his aim. He is sure Darcy is delighted how silly it must look with a banana in his non firing hand.

As he makes his way through his is certain she wasn't lying about this being her place. He has known her all of few hours but this place seemed to fit her. It was vibrant with a comfortable "lived in" vibe. She blended in far better here than the main room of the Penthouse he first met her in.

"Oh. My. God! Are you done yet Sergeant Drama Queen? I don't think dust bunnies pose all that much threat.

He looks behind one more curtain panel and stows his firearm. He looks at her for the first time since entering. Her arms are crossed and she is honest to God tapping a foot on the floor. She bugs her eyes expecting him to know what she meant.

"What?" He finally has to ask.

"I wasn't joking. Out!" She motions to the door. "There is no reason you need to be in here now that you've checked it out. I will shout through the walls should my plastic plants come alive and I need saving."

Bucky let out a breath.

"Fine." He let out behind slightly gritted teeth. "But I will be right outside the  _unlocked_ door." He points to it before letting himself out.

Out in the Hall Bucky stands with his back against the wall. He finishes the food Darcy had provided.

This was fine, right? How much trouble could she get into anyways? He was right outside of the only door in or out. It's not as if she would escape using the fire escape.... She was going to escape using the fire escape.

Bucky jumped to attention. He opens the door and rushes in.

"Darcy?" He calls out in a no nonsense tone. Leaving no indication that playing a round of hide 'n seek would be amusing.

"Darcy." He calls once more. Then he sees it. The window leading out to the fire escape landing open and sheer ivory curtain blowing in the breeze. He rushes to the window and looks down to the alleyway. No luck. She was no longer there.

"Shit! Shit, shit, fucking shit!" He tugs a hand through his hair and kicks the corner of her couch. He was never going to hear the end of this. Of course he had to fuck up the very first day. He could see Steve's disapproving, righteous scowl. The one where he was pretty sure if looks could talk it would say; "Why is Bucky such a fuck up?".

He reaches for the phone in his pocket and scrolls through the numbers. He hoovers of the contact for Steve. Though he can't being himself to push the Talk button. All of six seconds go by.

Fuck it. Maybe he could get her on foot. It had only been ten minutes. Fifteenth-tops.

He heads out the door and down the three flights of stairs after her.

...though he doesn't find her. Three laps around the neighborhood and nearly an hour of asking seemingly friendly neighbors on the street if they have seen any one matching her description, he realizes he the shit storm brewing above his head. It is time to call in. It has been time to call in.

He reaches for the phone in his pants pocket.

When you are James Buchanan Barnes it is possible for your day to always get worse.

He doesn't have the phone.

of course he doesn't have the phone.

Retracing his steps would futile. He's been all over this corner of the map. Maybe something in Darcy's apartment will help. At least let him call in.

It's on the way back he notices, really notices how little being out and even frantically approaching strangers on the street bothered him. As far as New York street go, Darcy's... apartment?... was on a quiet one but it was in no way deserted. He managed it though. Not one episode. Not even a hint of a panic attack.. outside of loosing an entire person.

A small window of hope opened when as soon as he was through Darcy's door again, he sees the phone. It is on the floor as if it had missed his pocket and laid there. Despite the fourteen missed calls from Steve he is incredibly happy to see it. He breaths a sigh of relief while looking up to the ceiling. There was one small reprieve. As he brings a head down, there was another. Darcy's bag. It was still on the counter. The top open and a couple books spilling out but it was there. 

He looks around. There was no struggle here. Not so much as a single lamp knocked over. _She_ was still here. But where?

Bucky does a run through of the apartment once more when it dawns on him. She used the fire escape al'right, only she went up.

He takes off and moves up the ladder towards the roof. He's taking two rungs at a time. He hops over the lip and lands with both feet at the same time. As he goes to right himself, Darcy turns the page in her book and smiles up at him from one of the two chaise sun lounges in the middle of the an almost whimsical rooftop garden. Christ, if she wasn't such a sight for sore eyes.

Too bad he is nearly vibrating with anger. Who does she think she is? He is just about to ask her as such when his phone rings and draws his attention to it.

"Barnes." Answers knowing it is Steve. Darcy watches him so he turns for a small amount of privacy and hopes to makes it brief.

"I had it on silent if you can believe it." Bucky scowls at Darcy who smirks from over the top of her book. "Yeah, i know. Completely irresponsible. I agree." Darcy is lightly chuckling. "Everything is fine here. Nothing to report." Now Darcy has completely closed her book and set it in her lap. Clearly he is more entertaining. "Right. Again. It was a completely irresponsible oversight. Won't happen again. Hello?..." 

Bucky drops the phone and grunts into his long sigh.

Darcy throws him a water from the small portable cooler next to her chair. Bucky catches it with one hand and goes about removing his tie and shaking loose his coat with other. He pours himself into the chair next to her as he takes a long pull off his bottle of water.

"Nice tour of the borough?" Darcy asks all too sweetly.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" He manages before getting in a full breath after his next sip.

Darcy laughs so loud it echo of the building across the alley.

"Excuse me?" She laughs again, not really offended.

"When did you realize I had taken off looking for you?" He has his eyes close and is taking a moment of gratitude for the day taking a turn for the better.

"About the time I heard the "Shit. Shit, shit, fucking shit. Which, dude? Anger management?" He can feel Darcy looking at him but he doesn't give in and return the gesture. "Then your phone. Oh my Gawd! It was  _almost_ enough to get me out of my chair. Almost."

"Why didn't you?" Bucky rolls his head towards her and opens his eyes.

"And talk to Captain Uptight? I wouldn't want that anymore more than you would have wanted me to."

"No. Get up. Leave? Why didn't you leave? Isn't that what you want? Some freedom?" Bucky raises his head from the back of the chair to fully see her reaction.

Darcy picks up her book and opens it again.

"That's where you're wrong. What I want is my autonomy. I understand that there is a credible threat out there. What I want is to not be treated like a child and allowed to make my own, informed decision about my safety but I can see the confusion." Darcy doesn't look up from her book at any point in that and Bucky knows it was a deliberate move to put a stopping point in sharing.

"So what? The last hour was some sort of hazing? I'm apparently not the bad guy for keeping you safe, I am just the asshole caught in the crossfire because you're Daddy won't treat you like a grown up?" He knew it was blunt, and frankly rude, he was just remembering his initial anger.

Darcy closes her book and sets it in her lap once more 

"That annnd... How did it feel to get out and not freak out over your own issues? Was it at all too loud or overwhelming as you blanketed a three block radius around my apartment? Did you even notice?" She goes into a satisfied grin. "You're welcome, by the way."

"Bullshit." Bucky directs towards her and the smile drops. Though she did have a point. "That had nothing to do with helping me."

"I know. It was total hazing. " She peps around a shrug "But imagine how selfless and caring I would have sounded, if it were true." She wags her eyebrows at him.

Bucky sighs.

"You're certifiable." He says while shaking his head and Darcy laughs once more. "Can we get outs here yet? I got a feeling your file is going to get a careful and diligent review tonight. I meed to see what level of Nutjob I just signed on for." The last bit comes out playful and Darcy smiles.

"Can I ask you something first? Why didn't you tattle on me? To Steve?" She is no longer playful, she is genuinely curious.

"Maybe _that_  was more about me." He says standing and offering her his right hand to her.

"Hmmm." She mulls over while she takes his hand to stand. "Interesting." She takes her time with each syllable.

~*~

Steve presses a foot into the bed where Bucky lays face down into the mattress. He had been shown his living quarters half an hour ago and hadn't so much as spun around the room to take it in before locating the bedroom and free falling on to the surprisingly comfortable bed.

"Good first day?" Steve asks holding to poured Scotches.

Bucky only grumbles before making it to a seated position and retrieving the drink from Steve.

"I've been to War. I've seen some shit. Men who wanted to kill me because it was my life or theirs." Bucky takes a sip and lets the smooth, aged liquor roll pass his tongue. "Never did I ever feel like I would have been done in for someone's enjoyment..  until today."

Steve laughs and grabs a chair to sit near the bed.

"So I take it you guys got acquainted today then." Steve can't hide his smile. "Now, training..." Steve hands Bucky a huge binder as Bucky growls.

They work well into the night.

Day one, down.


	4. Let's Do Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So unbeta'd but it was either this or another two weeks. I chose this. Sorry

He opened his eyes not more than four hours after Steve had concluded training the night before. It has been three nights of this and Bucky was missing  the sleep. Keeping up with Darcy's hot 'n cold attitude towards him was hard enough. Sleep deprivation only added to the discomfort.

Bucky pulls himself up and swings his leg over the side of the bed. He lets his eyes adjust by looking around the room before getting up . The first thing he sees is the suit Steve brought with him and hung on the back of the door.

 _Fuck_. He thought. It's going to be another long day.

There was some solace that he at least had better Intel and insight each day.

Scratch that. It maybe actually made it worse.

Darcy Lewis: Daughter of Ann Lewis (deceased) and Tony Stark. Heiress to Stark fortune. Masters in Political Science. Eagerly sought by handful of prestigious consulting firms in D.C. just before word of her existence went public. The news triggering numerous kidnapping and death threats from large terrorist organizations down to your average wacko with spare time and Internet access. She was moved from her own private and independently funded accommodations into Stark Tower until the threat level could be properly assess. Her security detail has been moved from Passive to Active cover in the interim. She is to be accompanied closely by at least one trained security personnel daily and by a team of three or more for large official public outings. It is noted 'Ms. Lewis' is not happy with current level of protection and makes frequent attempts at undermining her Father's and Captain Rogers' direct orders.

"No shit."Bucky says over his bowl of cereal and into the file he had taken to looking through as often as he can. "Bet she just  _loves_ having them called  _direct orders_ too, you assholes."

Bucky's phone chirps on the table before him. He reaches for it. It's a text from code name: Red Lip Canary.

Of course her code name couldn't be simple. Nothing about this job was going to be simple. 

He opens the text. 

_Paging the troll under the bridge. Billy Goat is ready to cross into town. Bring Cab fare._

Bucky did up his face in annoyance. She was such a child.

He types out a response.

_Good Morning to you too, Doll. I did have a good night. Thanks for asking._

Bucky smirks at his own wit. The response comes at a record pace. She was fast.

_Does Steve pay you extra to be funny?_

The phrase _I know you are but what am I?_ came to mind but Bucky resisted.

_Here I thought we were just being friendly._

Boom. Fast response.

_Do you have friends?  Why are you even still texting me? I am ready to go._

"What a brat." Bucky grumbled while gathering the suits's coat and holstering his gun before making it up to Darcy.

The elevator hadn't taken all that long to learn, thank God. It opens to the foyer and Darcy stands where he met Clint earlier in the week. The same man is there now pinning something on the hem of a smart form fitting Navy blue number Darcy was wearing. Bucky hated that he finds her so Goddamn gorgeous, seeing how she was so obnoxious.

"Still committed to the secondhand suit look, I see?" She calls out to his direction.

As he approaches he can tell Darcy is bracing herself for a comment about her not actually being ready as Clint finished with whatever security device he was attaching to her. Bucky decides on another route.

"You look beautiful." He says sincere.

Bingo. Darcy is taken aback.

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks. Women's luncheon for a Career Center. Filters in from the women's shelter." 

"So there will be a team with us then?"

"Ooh, look who getting caught up on their job. And only four days after being hired. Bravo." Darcy drawls.

At that Clint lets out a airy, lighthearted laugh and smiles towards Bucky. 

"I'm almost done getting a GPS pin fitted. You guys are on your own today. It's a small event and no one knows Darcy is actually coming so they wouldn't know to expect her. Steve doesn't see the need."

Bucky nods to Clint and then looks at Darcy.

"Then why go?"

"Excuse me?" Darcy ask.

"Why go? Sounds like no one will know you're missing it. You seem to hate this whole 'ladies who lunch' Bullshit. Why bother?"

"It's my center. I opened it." Darcy looks down to meet Clint's eye before she rolls her own. Clint looks back at Bucky like even he felt a little embarrassed for him.

"Sorry." Bucky says putting his hands in his pocket.

"Here." Darcy turns and reaches for her canvas tote on a near by chair, despite Clint's protest to stay still a moment longer. Bucky notes the bag was puffier than usual. "Hold this until after lunch."

"What's in it?"

Darcy squishes her face.

"My clothes. What does that matter? I am not walking all over Brooklyn in this dress. Just hold it." Darcy sharply demands at the end.

"No." Bucky challenges and the room stills. "Ask me." He says clear and precise.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh okay. Guys. I'm done here. Please let a guy get out of the line of fire?" Clint straightens himself in the middle of a staring contest so intense, the lines of sight were almost tangible blades. His hands are raised in a surrender. "Darcy? Have a great time. Bucky? Good luck." 

Neither of them move to acknowledge the man's departure. The air becomes thick. Darcy goes to cross her arms.

"Go ahead, Doll. Get into position. I got all day. You, however, have a luncheon to get to." Bucky straightens. "You want me to carry that bag for you?" He motions with his brow. " You ask me. Like a person." 

"So chivalry is dead after all." Darcy remarks dryly.

"Oh, I am plenty chivalrous. I just don't see any ladies around here warranting the gesture."

Another moment ticks by and then another.

"Fine." Darcy manages through gritted teeth.

"James, will you carry my bag?" This is absolutely no tone either way in the way that she asks it.

Bucky cups and hand to his ear and urges her to continue.

"Please." Darcy manages.

"Sure, Darcy. It would be my honor." Bucky relives her of her bag and offers her the crock of his arm after securing the bag over his other shoulder.

"Shall we?" He asks rather peppy.

"Go to Hell, Barnes." She passes by him and makes her way to the elevator.

"Already there,  Darling."

 

~*~

Darcy's swift change in the cab leaves him uneasy. She noticeably fidgety. She's continually biting on her thumbnail and twice she turned to say something to him but stopped herself. It's at the third time that words actually get out.

"So I have to come clean about something-"

The cabbie interrupts with his thick accent as they pull up to the curb and Darcy darts out before Bucky tells her to finish.

They are on sidewalk, up the street from the center. Darcy is making no move to carry on her way. Her fidgeting has gotten worse as she's now balling her first and then shaking her fingers lose.

"Out with it all ready, would ya? You're making me twitchy."

She shoots him a look. 

"Well I would have told you sooner if you hadn't put me in such a mood before we left."

Bucky gives her a pointed salute... only with one very distinct finger before turn on his heel and making his way to the center.

Darcy hussles a bit to lay her hand on his arm to stop him

"Okay! Fine! Okay, stop!"

He faces her and nods for her to continue.

"Look, I didn't actually RSVP "no" to this thing. Al'right?" Bucky takes immediate notice of how small she is making herself. "Its kinda a fundraiser... that I organized. Personally." She continues.

"Darcy! What the hell?! Why didn't you tell us? That changes things. There is a whole sweep that needs to be done and everything else." Of course she would do this to him. Make him look inept and have to call it in.

He reaches for his phone and her hand covers his. She waits until he makes eye contact.

"That's the thing. I don't really want to be Darcy Lewis; Heiress, in there. Which brings me to my next admission. I don't want you standing up against some wall all creepy like. I don't want anyone asking why I have a tail." She takes a deep breath to spit the next bit out as fast as she can.  "I told them you were my 'plus one'." Bucky can almost physically feel HER stomach tie up in knots for her. "And there are a few society hob nobbers going to be there so... I'm going to need you to act like you like me... like a lot." At this Bucky takes a step back. Only he is more so afraid of her losing her breakfast onto his shoes.

"Christ Darcy." He breaths out. Scrubbing a firm hand down his face. 

Darcy looks down. Surprisingly, she does feel remorse sometimes.

"I know, okay? But its not for me. It's for the center. Turns out hundreds of women's chance to better their lives comes down to mine being properly judge by women with a lot of money. It's super effed up but it is what it is." It all came out so fast. He didn't even feel right picking on her about it.

"Darce." He says looking down at himself once more. "I can't pull off 'rich boyfriend'. Look at me! Steve's suit and some fucking boots?" 

"I know." She offers sheepishly. "You look ridiculous. But Barnes, think of how desperate I am if I am asking  _you_ for help?"

Bucky didn't think the pout on those pretty Red lips was fake. He really thinks she needs the help.

"Damn it! " He bites out before reaching for her hand. He pulls her along so they are nearly side by side and still holding hands.

"So you'll do it?!" She sounds as if the world has been lifted off of her.

"Looks that way." He is making determined steps towards the event as if getting there was going to speed thing a long.

"Thank you, Barnes! I can't believe I am saying this but I owe you one."

"Yeah well start with no one finding out I even let this happen." He says back to her where she is having trouble keeping up despite still having his hand.

"You're a rebel, James Barnes. I like that." It's the last thing she says to him before they reach the doors.

~*~

The Luncheon itself wasn't the absolute worst way he has spent an afternoon. At least Darcy was so greatful that she kept the war of words to a minimum.

Of course he did maybe take a little advantage of the situation to interact with her in ways he knew she would hate but be unable to give him hell for.

Once past the first round of greeters, Bucky reaches his prosthetic arm out to rest on Darcy's far hip and pull her close to him. He gives her a sickeningly sweet smile when she looks up at him with a heavily control expression.

"Having fun, Darling?" He asks her.

Darcy steps on his toes with her pointed heal before walking over to the waiter holding a tray of champagne glasses. As she reaches for one, so does he with the hand that was not finding the small of her back.

"Thought you weren't supposed to be drinking on the job?" She says behind her flute as she brings it to her lips.

"Now you want to be concerned with my job duties, huh?" He remarks before finishing the entire contents of his glass in one go and then handing it off to a passing server.

Mingling continues as Bucky braces himself for the wealthy women of New York who attend these things. He was certain they would be extra catty today with the unease of having to cross a bridge and leave Manhattan.

Though not all the guest were women of wealth. Nor horrible. A lot of the women were women who had found work through the center. 

Unfortunately none of those women had been seated at their table. At least most room for conversation had been covered by speeches. Speeches and expression of gratitude. Bucky was actually impressed with what the center helped these women accomplish. 

More than once Darcy teared up at a story of empowerment earned through the resources at the center.

Bucky thought he was seeing a different side of Darcy. Maybe he was too quick to write her off as a spoiled child.

That was until he had reaches for her after the final speaker's particularly moving story. He rests a firm hand on her outside shoulder and gives it a squeeze before lingering with his fingertips and smoothing them over her exposed skin of her upper arm.

Darcy softens and looks grateful. She smiles coyly as she leans into him. She lay a hand on his thigh to brace herself on the way to his ear. She was so close Bucky couldn't help but take in her perfume.

"Quit using this as some excuse to touch me. Perv." She kisses his cheek before turning back to the table. Her hand stays on his thigh just to taunt him, he supposes.

Nope. Still difficult.

"So what do you do, James?" A middle age women wearing an emerald ring so large it was nearly distracting asked him from across the table.

"Oh ah? " Darcy pins him with a look and he meets it with a smile before turning back to the woman. "I am in private security. The company I work for use to work for Heads of State and such. Though now we are firmly cemented in the private sector."

Murmurs begin around the table and Bucky was sure they were positive or not. 

"Oh. You must have met some pretty interesting people along your travels then?" The women presses further.

"You know, Ma'am. I wish I could say I had." He looks down to his plate only to steal a side glance at Darcy. She is afraid of what he'll say and rightfully so. "Are you familiar with the concept of a Manny?" He asks as Darcy coughs up the sip of her second glass of Champagne.

"No. Can't say I am. Please enlightened us."

"Well, you see a Manny is just as it sounds. A male Nanny. Though, highly trained to both physically protect and mentally to endure even the most over indulged child." Darcy digs her nails his thigh. He covers her hand with his.

"You see, there are instances where a family of means," Bucky does a subtle nod around the table. "will find themselves with a particularly rebellious spirit. One who could potentially be a danger to themselves it left unbridled. That's where a Manny is called in." Bucky squeezes Darcy's hands. "I guess you can say we are hired to be relentless in making the immature heir's life unbearable until they can be reigned in."

"Oh to sneak a peek at your client list." Another women purrs in sing song thirst for gossip.

Bucky up the charm just for benefit. He plays up some mock shock.

"It would be completely unprofessional of me to name names." He winks in her direction, causing the women to bat her lashes. "But yes, while the field itself would certainly call for intriguing and stimulating company,  I am, for lack of a better word; a babysitter"

"Oh. Say no more. We all know the families in need of those services, don't we girls? ." The women says mischievously into her drink.

"Sheila!" Another women scolds but the tone  is conspiring and the table laughs at the exchange.

Light conversation continues for the remainder but Bucky is pleased to note, he is left to his lonesome and not paid much more attention to after that? It allows him the time to make visual scans of the room and actually do the job he was hired to do.

When everyone begins to stand to conclude the event he quickly stands to help Darcy with her chair. 

"Thanks." She says it sincere and Bucky knows it was for the whole afternoon, not just the chair.

"Darcy, dear. I am so happy to have a chance to properly say hello even if it is before we must leave." Both Darcy and Bucky turn at a voice that sounded like it came from the old lady at their table with one too many face lifts. Sure enough, it had.

"Mrs. Von Der Linden. Mrs. Frost. Hello." Darcy dutifully greets two grey haired, well to do obvious Upper East Siders with honest to Goddness kisses to the cheek.

"My." Says the one with far too much perfume. "Three months out in Society and already managing to open your first Charity through your trust fund. Bravo." Bucky recognized that Bravo. Darcy used it on him this morning. He hadn't liked it then and he doesn't like it now.

"Well Mrs. Frost, yes. I have actually only been out among the elite for a mere few months now. However as mentioned in the opening speech, I actually opened this center during my junior year at NYU while encouraging the affiliated shelter to apply for sanctioned Government funding for the project."

"Oh. A liberal. How... refreshing." The tight faced ones says before lifting her brow.

"Oh, could you imagine?" Darcy gives the fakest of laughs Bucky has ever heard. "Plus, you know as well as I do." Darcy drawls while leaning in and endearing herself to the women. "The funding will be over as soon as those bleeding hearts don't have their feel good story anymore. Then of course." Darcy pauses for effect. "It will be _us_ left to do as we always do. Am I right? Fund these little projects to keep them afloat?" 

"So true." Pepe Le Pew chimes in.

"I would even go as far as getting in an additional donation today so they don't come with outreached hands later and asking us to nearly go broke to save this place." Darcy tsk'd as she shook her head as she leans back from the women.

"I couldn't agree with you more." The older woman makes a clear grab for her purse. "Excuse us, please. Seems we have to save the day, yet again." The women sighs dramatically.

"You two are the true heroes." Darcy holds a hand over her heart and finishes with goodbye cheek kisses. She turns back to Bucky with a knowing smile. 

"Impressive." He nods. "You guys actually in danger of shutting the doors?"

"Hardly." Darcy says. "But we need a new copier." Darcy picks up and downs her final glass of Champagne. "You ready to get out of here?" She asks him.

"God yes." He exhales. "But don't you gotta stick around for anything? Clean up?"

"That's what event planners are for." She shrugs. "Plus, that was my third glass of Champagne. It's probably best you get me away from these women before I start to lose money."

Bucky smiles.

"Come on." He nods to the door. "I could go for some pizza."

"Oh yes! I'm starving! How do these people survive on finger sandwiches and booze?!" Darcy steps before him and he goes to guide her with a hand on her back before thinking better of it.

~*~

Pizza was very much called for. Even more so since he remembered the place they had gotten it from. When he woke today, he wasn't expecting to be walking around his old neighborhood. He probably would have tried to find a way out if he had but turns out it wasn't half bad. The streets weren't as haunted with innocence lost as he imagined them to be.

"Come on. I totally shouldn't be doing this after your adventures in babysitting stunt back there but I did plan a Thank you in case you were crazy enough to let me talk you into the fundraiser."

"Oh yeah?" Bucky asks while doing on final wipe of his mouth with a paper napkin before tossing it in the bin on the way out the door.

"Yeah. Why? You scared?" Darcy stops and digs through her messenger bag for a pair of Converse. She trades each heel for a sneaker and bends in her dress to tie them. Bucky finds he is mesmerized by her movements. 

She stands straight and smooths her skirt before he continues.

"Terrified, Darling. If I am being completely honest." 

"I'm that bad, huh?" She playfully prods him. She begins up the street.

The last couple of hours  _had_ been different. He'll admit to that. Though, there was always the other shoe. It always dropped. After one good interaction, there were two more where they were at each other's throats.

"You have your moments, I guess."

"Well I guess that will have to do then." She smiles and they walk a little further in silence.

"You really hate all that stuff? I mean the brown nosing and stuff? Those type of women?" He can't shake the way she had formed commradries with some of New York's tightest circles in the few months since she has even existed to them.

"Eh, I make it a rule to never hate anyone-"

Bucky laughs out loud at that.

"I'm serious! Those type of women, as you put it, don't know any different. They were born into a world much different than you or I. To them? The judgment? The air of superiority? That's just what they know." He finds it funny that she doesn't identify as being "born into" that world herself. "And then there is someone like Rogers. The righteousness, _HIS_ air of superiority. It's what he knows. You can't fault him for it. Though, I prefer you didn't give him any of this insight. I like to keep him guessing."

Bucky waves her off and she finishes.

"Everyone is just trying to make it through. Our tool-belts are all equipped a little differently."

He liked that. It was unexpected coming from her but he liked it. He rolls it over in his mind a bit.

"So you don't hate me?" He finds the answer seems a little more important than it did just this morning.

"Do you hate me?" She returns shifting and slowing to make eye contact.

He didn't. She hadn't really made any attempt to make his life any easier in the last four days but it didn't mean he wish her any harm.

He shakes his head no.

"There you go." It's all she says.

"So you don't hate me." His says in conformation and almost ribbing her.

"You have your moments, I guess." She laughs as she tries to imitate his voice. "Look, I know you're not the enemy. You're not the reason I need a close detail. Hell, your actually the first one to actually listen to me in the last few months." She pauses. "It doesn't make any of this easier though." Her voice softens. "My parents and I spent my whole life fighting against all of this. Now it's happened? I am out there and not only do I have reacquaint myself with which fork is which, there are wackos out there that want to make my life into that Dakota Fanning movie where she's J.Lo's ex-husband's daughter. Like she gets kidnapped for ransom or something? I don't know, I didn't actually see it. But that shit is my life. It's a weird effing thing to wrap your head around." She realizes she's off on a tangent.  She takes a step in front of him and turns to stop. He stops and looks her in the eye. "Then, to top it all off. My life is stuck in neutral because of it. Do you know what it's like to have no control and then lose all of your direction of what you pictured life to be?"

"Yes." He answers sincere before he realizes it was completely rhetorical. He feels foolish for agreeing despite it being the truth. He regrets it more when she moves her gaze to his prosthetic arm. 

He clears his throat in a subconscious attempt to stop her. 

"We're almost there." She says looking down at the ground and carrying on another block with him half a step behind.

He feels like a over sensitive jerk. She was just looking at it. It wasn't out of disgust nor curiosity. IT was a revelation. He practically gave her permission by agreeing with her.

He's pulled out of his thoughts when she stops in front of a store front. She turns back and smiles at him. He moves to get to the door before her and open it.

He was sure there were a thousand different breaches in protocol since they had left the Tower this morning. Letting her go in first was not the most offensive of them.

"Hey Tabitha!" Darcy greets the tragically cool hipster behind the counter of the thrift shop. She lifts her bag in the clerks direction. "I need a changing room. Stat."

"Tabitha" nods towards the back of the store with her chin because apparently words were too mainstream.

Bucky follows Darcy's lead. When the reach the curtain door of the make shift changing room, Bucky felt the need to be at least a little professional at some point this afternoon. He puts a hand out to stop Darcy from entering and uses his other to pull back the curtain to peer in.

He turns towards her to see her raised brow.

"Seriously Barnes?" She hip checks him on her way in.

When she emerges she has completely changed out of the dress Bucky was rather fond of and was now in her regular casual apparel. Though, he actually doesn't see much wrong with her in this outfit either.

"Ah. Much better!" She straightens herself and adjust the messenger bag over her shoulder. "Ready for your surprise?" She lures him in.

"Suppose so." He tries to remain nonchalant but he is rather curious if this is how he dies.

"Ta-da!" Darcy makes a large gesture with her arms and finishes with both arm out and palms up.

Bucky looks around.

"Ahh, Darling. You got me a thrift store. You shouldn't have." He amuses himself.

"Oh this is secondhand al'right but there is nothing thrift about it." She makes her way to a rack of clothes. "When was the last time you were in Brooklyn, anyways?" 

Bucky had to think.

"I took leave a couple times after I first enlisted but I haven't been since before-" He trails off and stops himself. "A while. I have been home in a while." The use of the word "home" didn't go unnoticed by himself.

Darcy's face wears the fact that she could feel the weight of of his subtext but she grants him denial.

"Well then. Welcome to new Brooklyn. People pay a lot of money to look like they have no money at all." She starts going through a row of men's t-shirts.  The sign attached to the rack said "Vintage Band Tees". Bucky begins to peruse.

"Whoa! When did Bowie become Vintage?" He asked holding up a well loved, well worn shirt.

Darcy give a non-committal shrug and continues on her hunt.

Bucky holds up a Back Street Boys shirt next and gives Darcy a questioning look.

"Hipsters, James. You never know what they are going to be into." She continues on.

A short time later whatever she was looking for had been located.

"Ahh! Perfect!" Darcy holds up a Ramones shirts. She nods with a huge smile. "Yes." 

She makes her way over to him and holds the item up to his front, gauging the fit.

He has seen this tee before. Even he knew it was the epitome of cool. Black with faded white lettering proclaiming the band's name across the chest and the members names written in a circular symbol just below that. It was actually just his kind of style. Been through a beating but still around to tell a tale.

"Right?" Darcy agrees with his obvious approval. "Try it on." She wiggles the hanger towards him.

"And have you take off a soon as I'm half naked in the fitting room? No thank you." He pushes it back to her.

She looks a little offended at his accusation.

 "What? Come on. I want to make sure it fits before I buy it." She shoves it back at him. "I mean if you want, I totally have no problem going in the room with you half naked. Ya know? To keep an eye on me?" She wiggles her eyebrows and he furrows his brow at her.

He takes it from her.

"You're not buying me the shirt."

"Excuse me? We are not leaving here with out that shirt!" She goes to grab for it.

"I agree. We're not. But you're not buying it from me."

She does a fake out left to dart right and grab the shirt.

"Ah ha!" She shouts triumphantly. "And I am not buying you just the shirt. I am buying a proposal."

"Come again?" It stops him in his tracks.

Darcy takes a breath and stands with a hand on her hip.

"Hear me out." She begins. "You have next to no idea what you're doing, you know that?" She begins and he feels the need to ready himself so he can defend himself with a rebuttal. "Hold on there, Cowboy." She puts a hand up to stop him. "Four days and you haven't done one a single thing by the book but Steve, Mr. Rules, Rogers hasn't so much as reamed you for it once? Why?" Bucky can definitely tell that one was rhetorical. She is very much on a roll.

"Furthermore, you actually seem to care what he thinks. You're not so reckless that I am in harm's way but confident enough in yourself that I feel like I have my first bit of breathing room since this whole thing started. I am going to need to take a little advantage of that, sorry."

Bucky hadn't thought she had even paid that much attention.

"You ever think maybe things would change once I was a little more caught up?" He questions.

"I thought about it but no, I don't think so. I meant what I said earlier. You're a little bit of a rebel. I don't know where it comes from but I thank the Security Gods for it. If I am fighting against the one guarding me less, I have more effort to put into the fight against the one who order it in the first place."

"Political Science, huh?"

She laughs.

She takes a step forward and offers out the shirt in between them. 

"So James Barnes. My proposal to you is a moderate truce. I will do my best not to make your life a walking embodiment of your worst nightmare and you just keep being your wonderful unconventional self." 

Once again she wiggles the garment between them.

"I am not going to sacrifice your safety." He says standing firm.

"I should hope not." She quips back. "But for what it's worth. No matter what a monster you seem to think you are, I never once felt like I have been in danger with you."

She was a perceptive little shit.

"I just want you to keep doing what you're doing. Think you can manage that? I am just calling we put down the swords aimed at each other."

He agrees with a slow pointed nod while swallowing the large lump back in his throat.

"Perfect! Now we just have to keep our raging sexual tension at bay and this will be a beautiful arrangement." She winks as he relives her of the shirt.

"Very funny." He says but he wonders how much of him checking her out she's noticed. "When did you cook this up anyways?"

"About the time you took off from my apartment without calling my disappearance in."

"And the last two days we're what exactly? Fun?"

"Oh, did you think this meant we were going to be friends? No, no Barnes. If I were you, I would still make an effort to keep your wits about you." She shrugs. "I just had to test you to see how far you could bend without breaking." She smiles smugly. "I am happy to report you were a tough egg to crack."

He has the distinct feeling he just sold his soul to the Devil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, there is still some great chances for them to rip at each other's throats. Just wait. 
> 
> Next chapter is full of content.
> 
> Also, new chapter of Soulmates and Other Fallacies... will be up some point this weekend and if you're looking for a finished Ducky piece from me. You can always check out James Buchanan Barnes Is My Personal Trainer...


	5. Causal Tuesdays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (езымянный) = Namless.
> 
> Author was going to go with a name in a language that might be spoken in a current or recent war but Author has the utmost respect for Service Men and Women and would not in anyway wish to have them feel offened in a means of entertainment. If any Service Men or Women are, however, offended by anything in this AU piece. It is completely by the Author's ignorance and not of malicious intent.

Another morning begins. 

Darcy had told him before she retired to the Penthouse last night, that she wouldn't need him until closer to 10 the next morning.

He knew something incredible happened in the middle of that secondhand store two days ago. Darcy never gave him advanced warning on anything. 

Bucky was always darting to pull on a borrowed suit a little after his feet hit the floor with the fear she was going to text an immediate need to leave.

Today however, he had notice and time to prepare for the day. He thought it best to return the gesture.

He looks at the expensive, fine crafted suit hanging on the back of his door. One slight shake of his head he starts off towards his only half unpacked bag. He reaches in and pulls out what he needs.

~*~

"Wow, James Barnes. Way to stick it to the man!" Darcy slows claps while giving a long slow Wolfe whistle. Bucky can't help but add some swagger to his step as he fights to suppress the boasting smirk ready to beam across his face.

He feels good in his own clothes after 6 days in Steve's borrow duds. If he also knows he looks damn good in his dark wash jeans and comfortably fitting black cotton under shirt, well then so be it.

"Yeah, well? Rebels, right?" He shrug non-nonchalant but feels something bloom at Darcy's flush reaction to his new appearance. Her eyes continue to linger over him. To his surprise, they reach his prosthetic last.

He didn't bother hiding it. He felt he was past the point where he thought to care what Darcy thought when she saw it. He didn't care to gauge her reaction on the spectrum of pity to fear that most people fell between.

She pulls her eyes up to meet his.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asks.

Maybe he should have gone for long sleeves for a couple more days.

"Where's your gun? " She continues before he's had a chance to respond. "Please, oh Please say it is somewhere in your pants and just so happen to need an extra set of hands to fish it out?"  His laugh indicates his relief that they were going to gloss over his arm. He lifts the cuffed hem of his right leg to reveal the Glock strapped to an ankle holsters.

"Pity." She says and breezes past him towards the elevator.

He comes up beside her and knows she is stealing side glances like she had their very first day.

Only this it was a completely different way of 'sizing him up'. Bucky turns his head slightly and gives a small smile with a wink when Darcy meets his eye. He is certain he hears a tiny yelp before her blush seeps in. She suddenly whips her face forward and her interest in the front of the closed doors becomes unwavering.

He allows her in the lift first but puts a hand up to stop her from giving the floor request.

"JARVIS, Garage level. Please." Bucky orders.

"Oh Hello no! Jarvis, please STOP the elevator!" The car comes to a halt before Bucky as time to brace himself. He stumbles briefly but remains upright. "No, no, no! Barnes! Don't try and trick me with the 'casual Friday' look and then think I am gonna suddenly align with every other rule there is!" Well, she really helped the mood do a complete turn around.

He refuses to be drawn into a battle of wills when things were starting to finally look warmed with their rapport.

He lifts a hand like he had when they first entered the space.

"You got real trust issues, ya know that?" He bites. Darcy's face remains clenched at his accusation. "Just." He pauses. "Just trust  _me,_  alright?" He equally pleads as he demands. She takes in a eased breath and he never breaks eye contact while informs JARVIS to carry on to the garage.

The doors open once more and Bucky directs her out with a pointed palm. Darcy bites her lip and pushes off the wall behind her. Once he his by her side again he motions towards the far corner. 

They make the trip matching step for step before they reach the spot where his bike is parked.

Darcy takes in the vintage beauty and turns to him with a question on her brow.

"Cab fare was starting to get pricey."  He says coolly and Darcy's face beams. Next thing he knows she was bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. This girl was a roller-coaster and then some.

"Hello Gorgeous, this is going to be a beautiful friendship." She coos at the bike while slipping a hand under Bucky's left bicep and resting a cheek against the same arm's shoulder while her face wears a lust for all things fast.

Bucky lingers watching her interaction with his arm. She paid no mind to it. It was as if it belong to him as much as his other. There were rarely days even he thought that.

He breaks the contact 

"Her name is Lucille." He informs her while removing a helmet for her from the side sack.

"Of course it is." She says while rolling her eyes. She fiddles with the chin strap a bit before lifting her face towards him and silently asking for help to finish the job.

He bends his face and secures the piece. When he lifts his eyes Darcy's are trained on him. Her blush is back. He doesn't want to take the opportunity to tease her for it. He thinks he'll give her a pass for how she treated his prosthetic. 

He clears his throat and climbs on the bike first to steady it and then reaches a hand out for Darcy she climbs on and secures her messenger back.

"Ready?" He calls behind him.

Darcy inches forward makes sure either thigh has a tight enough grip around him. He feels a bit of blood rush to an inconvenient place just before she slips her hands around his waist.

"Oh yeah." She purrs and Bucky lets the engine roar to life.

 ~*~

Their first destination was Darcy's standing lunch date with the Veteran she traded books withon his very first day. Since she made no attempt to switch up locations or general times, Bucky was prepared to be on a higher than usual alert for the occasion. 

They pull up to the curb outside the dinner and Darcy dismounts first. He can tell she is buzzing with adrenaline the way her grip responded to certain turns and maneuvers on the way over.

"Oh man! My Dad must hate you!" She shouts from excitement. Bucky dips into his smile. He hadn't actually met the man yet but the general consensus of _all_ the Dads of _all_ the pretty young things he chased growing up was immediate disapproval. He suspects sticking an Heiress, worth billions, on the back of a bike wasn't going to gain him many brownie points this time around.

They make it a through the door and Bucky stops a few feet short and indicates for her to carry on without him.

" M'Going to do what I am actually paid to do for a bit, Darce." He says without room for debate. "Go ahead." He nods towards the booth housing her awaiting lunch time companion flipping though the book Darcy had given him a few days earlier. Darcy squishes her face at his sudden professional provado and makes her way to the table. Bucky stalks the diner a few times and finds a prime corner to keep watch.

Darcy's lunch continues on and he begins to tell himself he was unable to take his eyes off her for her own safety. He disregards the voice that tells _unable_  and _unwilling_  are not the same thing.

She was amazing.

She was as comfortable here, in her own makeshift book club than she was at a fancy luncheon days prior.

He knew he was headed for trouble when Darcy threw her head back to laugh at something the other man had said and the exposed skin of her neck left him wanting the chance to pepper light kisses on her fair skin until his stumble left tiny pink marks.

Things were definitely going to stray from the ease they had when he thought she hated him.

"Barnes? Barnes! Earth to Barnes!" Darcy snaps him out of himself and he takes a step towards her. "I said your making us nervous. Please sit with us."  Bucky knew it was a simple request without ulterior motives. Though in case he hadn't found it that way Darcy smiles and reaches for his hand. "Please?" She ask while giving his hand a squeeze.

He looks around the restaurant once more and slides into the booth next to her so he is able to see the door.

"Private First Class Larry Regan." The man holds his hand out for Bucky.

"James." Offers back with a curt nod. 

"Darcy says your ex-military as well?" Bucky nods again. He doesn't want to have the inevitable conversation that will arise. Darcy lays a hand on his thigh and pinches. He knows he is coming off as rude.

" I am. Yes. 107th." Bucky waits for the recognition. He steels himself not knowing the kind of reaction it will conjure. He is certain by this point, even those with the rank of Private were well informed of his living ghost story.

Larry looks to Bucky's arm. His eyes going up to the hint of red showing from the bottom of his short sleeve. Bucky makes no movement to hide it. He doesn't want to spook the man.

He watches the clues fall into place and the realization read across the other man's face

"I see." The man says taking a shaking hand to retrieve his water from the table.

As monumental a moment as it was between them, Darcy remains aware as she darts to grab the meal's tab placed with a closed o-Take Out box by the waitress.

"Darce, I told you I got it this time! It's half the reason I took that painting job." Larry protest reaching and failing to take the bill from her.

"And I said; 'Good, I expect a box of my favorite candy next time.' Plus I am not going to have you pay for Segargent Short Sentence's lunch too." Darcy motions to the the take out box. She had ordered him lunch. Bucky smiles a bit. "Certainly not when he hardly earned it with his lackluster lunch conversation."

The other man faces his lap and Bucky knows he is reminded of what he had learned in those few words.

Bucky thinks it's best to stand and concluded this meeting. Darcy follows and all three of them stand outside the restaurant.

After Darcy grabs another book from her bag to hand off, Larry step forward to give her what must be uncharacteristic hug from him. The man keeps eye contact with Bucky to show he is not a threat.

"Hey there, Larry. Getting snuggly, huh?" Darcy says as her brings his mouth close to his ear. He turns into her but Bucky is still able to make out what he say.

"Be careful, Darce." It haunts Bucky as the man pulls back and makes his retreat.

They watch the man leave. Each of them wearing a different expression.

"What do you think that's about?!" Darcy ask directly to Bucky as much as she is asking no one at all.

 _The truth._ Bucky thinks to himself.

~*~

"Shit!" The curse follows the loud thump of Bucky's forehead against the pipes. He brings a hand above his eye and readjust so he can bring himself out from laying under the sink and into a seated position on the kitchen floor.

Darcy's legs dangle from the kitchen counters next to where he works. Bucky reaches for a towel and begins to clean the damaged part he retrieved for inspections.

"You know, aside from the building probably having a Super, you are also insanely rich. You do know they have people you can hire for these things, right?" Bucky roots through Darcy's tool box and heads back under to repair the garbage disposal.

"And like I told you when you said that very same thing in the hardware store; I like to do things myself. It's how I was raised." Darcy's legs begin to tap out a rhythm against the lower cupboard door.

"But you're not the one under here. I am!"

"Right, because your response was all He-Man Women Hater and told me you weren't going to watch me do it and feel like a quote "Punk" for not helping."

She was right. As chauvinistic as it sounded, he didn't want to let her think he couldn't take care of a little home repair.

"Al'right. I got a couple more questions for ya. Why keep this place? I mean doesn't it kind of depress you? Ghost of Life Past?"

"You don't really pull any punches. You know that?" From under the sink he can hear Darcy get down from her perch and retrieve something before returning to the spot. "I kinda like that about you though. The straightforwardness of it all." The words come out around chewing of food. "And, yeah. Totally depressing that I don't know the next time I will even get to crawl in my own bed for the night-" Darcy pauses again and he can hear another bite being taken. "but it's Home. I can't give it up. I held down two jobs while working towards my Masters to cover the rent. Also, as soon as my silly imprisonment is lifted, I will have a fancy job to cover it again and Stark Industries can find another 3rd floor walk up to pay for."

Bucky ducks out from under the sink once more.

"Are you eating my lunch?!" He motions to the white Styrofoam container resting on Darcy's lap.

"You weren't." She shrugs as she fishes a fallen piece of avocado out of the box and eats it.

"I'm fixing the sink! Give it here, damn it." Bucky holds out his hand and Darcy places the Turkey club back before handing the entire meal over. Bucky wipes his hands on his work towel and picks up the sandwich for a bite.

"Gross." Mumbles Darcy.

"Whatever. Will you grab me the bag with the new part? Please, Your Highness?"

Darcy jumps of the counter and the brisk sway of her hips tells him exactly what she thought of his teasing.

"Here." She returns with a grey plastic bag outstretched. He takes it from her with a raise of his brow in thanks and hands over his sandwich.

Darcy slumps next to him on the floor with he back resting against the open cabinet door. She picks up the sandwich again and continues eating.

"So are we going to talk about it?" Darcy ask as she holds out the sandwich for Bucky to take a bite. He does so and heads back under the sink.

"Talk about what?" He asks after he's swallowed his bite.

"Lunch? Poor Larry acting like he was in the midst of a nightmare wide awake? You being the безымянный?"

Everything goes still for him. 

The blood leaves his face. The sound of it rushing from his brain swished pass his ears.

Bucky silently takes stock of his situation. He can feel himself fighting against some deep, ingrain training. His fingers grip the wrench in his hand and he calculates the trajectory Darcy would need to get to the gun on his far ankle before he is able. That was if she wasn't carrying one of her own. 

Was she? Was she some plant to draw him out of seclusion and gain Intel on how безымянный functions among society? Was this whole assignment a set up? A check in from his side? A reclaiming of an asset from the other?

Somewhere he knows none of that is true though. He knows he's not of himself right now. He's trying to fight the racing thoughts. He fights to stay on the surface of himself. He comes through enough to hear Darcy yammer on about her recent realizations.

He employs sheer will just to keep his thoughts clear. He seeks another explanation and given the simplicity of it, it trickles in when given a little room.

He slips out from under the sink. His back next to her's against the open cabinet door.

"Steve told you. Why?" His words come out like he's wounded. Steve had promised. No one who wasn't already aware, wouldn't be made aware.

"He didn't. You just did." Her tone was clear. It was calm. She wasn't messing with him.

He looks at her. He _really_ looks at her to see if she really thinks he is going to believe that.

"Seriously. There are other avenues of knowledge out there that don't include day to day interaction with the troll squad.Okay, that's not entirely true. I did have one detail who mentioned it but I don't think it was so much a causal mention as it was... well, complaining?" She puts the container of food on the floor. She is literally clearing the space between them for the conversation.

"And what? You just figured me out?"

"Not at first. Not at all really until this very morning." She gestures weakly at his left arm. "I had never seen it all before. At first I didn't think much. So it was a supped up prosthetic. Medical advancements happen every day." She does her lips in a non-committal scrunch.  "The Star was pretty poignant though. Then Larry, I mean I was trying to play ignorant for your benefit but I think I should actually find him and make sure he's OK. I would have never introduced you had the Old Noggin-" Darcy tapes her temple. "had spun her wheels sooner. But it all makes sense. Steve's explicit trust? I mean, duh. Right? There's highly trained and there is _highly_ trained with a _finely_ honed, _very_ specific skill set. You? You are an entire army."

"How would you even know about him?" He needs to be sure.

"Political Science, remember? I had a whole semester course on the POW taken behind enemy lines and trained. Battle tested and at the ready. Only thing is, after his liberation- Oh! Good on you for being a self rescuing Princess, by the way." Darcy gives a small applaud. "Any who, after his liberation, his own side didn't see much reason to waste all the hard work. I mean why get rid of such a valuable tool when they could deny responsibility?  They weren't responsible for creating you, therefore, plausible deniability of your capabilities.

You carried out a lot of grizzly stuff for them. I mean, allegedly, of course. The fallout is rich with tons a Political Science major can learn from. All those sniffling Generals and Senators in closed door hearings? Beautiful."

She was reckless. If she learned even half the things he was capable of, she would do well not to poke the beast.

"And Dude. Don't take it personal. I once had a full six credits on my Grandfather's impact on modern warfare with the continual design of new gun tech. Kinda sucks when no one knows your a Stark and the family name gets dragged through the mud by a bunch of your peers-

But, I mean of course you obviously know no one actually knows your name. Most of the intelligence agencies can't even get their hands on that. In part it was an apology and in part because you weren't as big of a threat to the public as their web of deceit would have the others believe. You wouldn't be here, doing home repair at some private sector babysitting job if you were really a threat to my safety.

You're practically folk lore. As far as anyone really knows, you're floating in the wind, ready to exact your revenge." Darcy laughs menacingly and he has to shake his head in equal parts deep, deep confusion at her caviler reaction to sitting next to a trained killer and how ridiculous he found it.

There it was.

No only had she figured him out, she knew it was all Bullshit. He had never actually harmed a single Friendly. He had taken down his captors. That was true. Brutally too. He had been a pawn for both sides but only his had washed his hands in blood. Though, that tale would never do. The army saw a surefire way for internal obedience and they took it. Made him a boogy man. Even he couldn't blame him. They weren't exactly fighting the Great War. If the men couldn't be united by cause, unite them with fear.

"I am dangerous, though."

"Eh. I would say you're more a Grump than dangerous." He can not believe she's smiling.

"So, what now?" He keeps his eyes trained on a far spot on the floor. He begins to feel slight melancholy at the idea of his time being up.

"You're already done under there?! I'm not really ready to make it back to the Tower yet." Darcy's voice with a tinge of disappointment.

"No. I mean what now? Now that you know for sure? It's out. Do you want me to quit or you planning on some big show of getting Steve to fire me so you can one up him?"

"What?! Barnes, no." Darcy reaches out to lay a hand on his thigh and for the first time she shows fear when he pulls it away with a quickness. "Sorry." She shoots while pulling her hand back.

They sit there, just like that. She must have realize just how far she pressed her finger into a deep wound. He... well he just didn't have anything to offer.

"Barnes, the last thing I would want you to do is a quit." He is not sure why that means so much to him. "I'm sorry, al'right? I know, I know; ' _Silly Darcy antagonizing the trained Assassin again_ '. I'm sorry. Honestly." She challenges a reach to lay a palm on his thigh again. This time lets it connects and just stares at it. "But I mean it. I don't want you to leave. I mean I will totally deny this if you ever bring this up again. Ever. but I could see being stuck with you _not_  the absolute worst detail I could get." He looks to her face but her eyes go everywhere but his gaze. "And, you know. Your ass is way better than James Dean's Rebel, ANY DAY."

He smirks in spite of himself.

"If I may be so bold, but isn't kinda nice knowing that I know? That  _someone_ knows and it's a non-issue?" 

He didn't know. He had never entertained the idea. Sure, Steve knew. He was certain Clint had heard from a mutual bedfellow. There were people who knew. Though, this Civilian was the most 'lax that he had ever seen.

"You're something, Darling." He marvels at how light the conversation had become.

"So I am told." She gets up and retrieves two beers from the fridge. She has both uncapped before he can protest. He takes a swig and sets it by him before adjusting to finish the task at hand.

Darcy sits crossed legged in front of him. 

"Now, tell me. Who would win in a fight between you and Steve?" She shoots up a hand. "Wait! Wait!" She closes her eyes. "I need imagine it for dramatic effects. I'm picturing  a lot of Baby oil and tight fitting briefs." 

He chuckles before sliding back under the sink.

"You're a weirdo." He playfully pings to her.

"That's it! Get all aggressive!" She says with her eyes still closed and he shakes the laughter from his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter already written and posted by tomorrow. Leave a comment if you can so I know you're all out there. 
> 
> Thanks! Xoxo


	6. The Comfort You Seek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could this have used an additional fine-toothed comb? Probably. Did my two small kids care about me getting any sleep last night? Probably not. Fight me.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, possible dubious consent trigger. Very minor but Author wishes not to offend.

The energy about the Tower was different this morning. With advanced notice of the schedule he took it upon himself to start greeting Darcy before she needed to summon him. Things had been getting easier between them by the day.

He steps off the elevator and things are buzzing. There are a handful or more of people bustling about. Everyone with a file or tablet. Everyone appearing to be immersed in a task a paying him no mind.

He spots Darcy through a part in the crowd. He approaches tentatively as Darcy is in conversation with a sharp dressed fellow.

"Hey." He offers sheepishly and awaits the introduction.

"Barnes, this is my Rhodey. He's my Dad's personal detail. As you can see from all the excitement, my Dad and Pepper made it in late last night and this is the chaos that usually follows." 

Bucky extends his hand and greets Rhodey.

"Rhodey, sir." Bucky nods into his handshake.

"Mr. Rhodes will do fine, Son. Thank you."  _Mr. Rhodes_ holds on to Bucky's hand and gives him and examining once over with a tight chin. For the first time, Bucky is starting to think he should go back to suits. Suddenly his faded green sleeved Raglan tee and worn denim jeans actually don't feel like workplace attire.

"Has your Father met him yet?" Rhodes asks directly to Darcy while still looking at Bucky.

"Nope." Darcy pops her "P" in a conspiring manner while swinging her hips playfully with her hands behind her back.

"I see." The man says while dropping Bucky's hand. "Well that should be fun."

The older fellow turns to Darcy in his retreat and places a kiss to her cheek. "Al'right my Darcy Ann. You be good."

"But never too good." She chimes back.

"At'a girl." He says in an obviously rehearsed exchange and Bucky wonders how much of her life has been spent forming bonds with Stark employees. "James." Bucky is regarded cooly on the other man's retreat.

"Don't worry." Darcy says. "You'll be in his good graces once he gets it in his mind that he can take you in a fight." Darcy smiles and he tries to return it. "Ready to go?"

~*~

"So what's this for again?" He asks after he had parked his bike and they go about removing their helmets.

"I don't have a dress yet." It must not register on his face. "The Maria Stark Foundation Benefit? Like  _this_ Friday? My first official Black-Tie event since being outed?"

Oh right. His first formal event requiring a Three Manned Team. How could he forget? Steve had been pushing Comm system manuals on him all week and even took to having his ear canal model in wax for the best fit possible.

"It's like 9 am though? Are stores even open this early?"

"When you're Pepper Potts, they are."

Darcy knocks on a small boutique window and a eager sales women opens with a plastered on smile.

"Miss. Lewis. Hello, Ms. Potts is waiting for you. Come in."

Bucky notes how the women made no acknowledgement to his existence.

In the small shop an attractive brunette women has her back to them but turns at the sound of their arrival.

"Darcy. It's good to see you."

"Maria." Darcy returns the greeting in kind. "Tell it to me honestly, what kind of trouble am I in for?" 

"She's filling up a second fitting room now."

Darcy groans and the other women's eyes turn to Bucky.

Darcy remembers her manners and begins introductions.

"Maria Hill, this is my new detail James Barnes. James Barnes this is Maria Hill, Pepper's personal cover. A badass chick for a badass chick."

Maria eyes Bucky after giving Darcy a fond smirk. The greeting is formal and a voice calls out from the back.

"Darce? Is that you, sweetheart?" Darcy looks at both the them at lifts her chin. 

"Wish me luck." She says.

"Luck!" Maria calls out and directs a spot for she and Bucky to stand. Apparently the soft cushy chair just outside the fitting area were not for personal bodyguards.

They stand in silence as he listens to Darcy's harrowing journey in trying on dresses. Something, he has learned through this excursion, that should never be last minute, nor off the rack for such a function. So next time Darcy should remember to call out for something at the very least a month in advance.

Bucky wishes for even a blazer for today's itinerary at this point.

Darcy doesn't come out in everything she tries on. Though he notices when she does, she makes a point to look towards his reaction. He's all too happy to oblige. Checking out Darcy's form is probably his favorite employment perk. With each of her exits from the room, he gains a little more confidence in silently finding ways to express his opinion.

After a particularly putrid green number, one the sales girl swears in completely "in season", Darcy's scrunches her face towards him. He matched her expression and pairs it with, what he considers to be covert "thumbs down" gesture.

As Darcy nods and carries on to change, he watches out of the side of his eye as Maria turns towards him slightly. Her arms are crossed and she looks up and down the length of him.

"Have you met Stark yet?" She ask with inquisitive look.

"No Ma'am." He says with his eyes glues forward.

"Hm. That's should be fun." She says before resuming her normal position.

Bucky doesn't ask why that's the second time he's heard that in three hours.

A short time later Darcy shouts triumphantly from the dressing room.

"Ah ha! Found it!" The excitement in her voice is contagious and for the first time Bucky say more than three consecutive words.

"Well, let us see."

"No! I want to keep it a surprise! No one see's Cinderella until the Ball!" 

Bucky can't help but smile at that.

"Yep. Undoubtedly fun." Maria says again and Bucky schools the remains of his expressions.

He remains tight jawed until Darcy emerges from the room in her street clothes once again. She is followed by an impeccably dress redhead. She was the type of women you knew could take down a small dictatorship over a power lunch.

Seriously, even a basic button down would have made him so much more comfortable right now.

"James. Hello, it is wonderful to finally have the chance to meet you. It is uncharacteristic of Darcy to have such kind things to say about her security detail. I'm Pepper."

Bucky accepts Pepper's hand. He is certain Darcy's eyes grow big at the other women's admission. He thinks better daring a wink in her direction but Darcy has no problem making a goofy face over her Step Mother's shoulder.

"Okay... I would say that is about enough pleasantries for the day... how about we get." Darcy motions towards the door with a pointed thumb. "Oh, we can have the dress sent directly to the Tower after alteration, right?"

Pepper nods at Darcy but all while still regarding the two with a warm, motherly smile.

"Great. Don't really think carring a Ball gown on the back of a Motorcycle is Socialite Etiquette 101."

A Motorcycle? So you're scooting around town on the back of a Motorcycle. Right." Pepper calmly nods and Bucky would be lying if he didn't find it terrifying. "Darce, Sweetheart? Has Dad met James, yet?"

"Uh ah." Darcy offers while pulling James towards the door."

"I see. Well, I look forward to it. Have a great day you two.

Seriously, what was he missing?

~*~

You tazed your best friend's boyfriend and you're still close? Man, Darlin. You must bring something amazing to the table to get away with the stunts you pull." Bucky turns in chair to eye Darcy's reaction.

It had been day three of getting up and out of the Tower as soon as possible. It's long pass the suspicion that Darcy was avoiding being there.

"Hey! He wasn't her boyfriend yet! He was suppose to be my additional undercover detail while I finished this totes random internship. Only surprise, surprise! My Dad didn't mention it at all to me and I thought he was just some wacko approaching us in a parking lot. He totally freaked me out, al'right?!" Darcy starts to defend herself as Bucky begins to laugh at her misadventures.

"And I will have you know: Jane and that handsome, nearly God like creature, are very happy together. Thor has since retired from personal safety-" Bucky goes to make the obvious joke there but Darcy's face pins his lips in place. "Watch it." She warns. "He now focuses on VERY private safety keeping Janey safe while she travels the World for her work. Breaks my heart that I almost never see them anymore but it proves good things DO come from my lack of freedom. So there." She sticks her tongue out at him. He is unsure if he finds it incredibly endearing or insanely hot.

It's been days of dancing between those thoughts. More than once he's had to remind himself where the line was drawn and just how firmly he needed to remain on the right side of it.

It was stolen moments like these where it began to blur. He told her he didn't want her up on her roof garden anymore. She was basically a sitting duck up there. All it took was one gentle hand laid on his forearm and a reassuring " _I'll be fine"_ and all preservation of the mission was moot. He climbed up the fire escape and joined in her sanctuary.

She was getting under his skin in an entirely different way then when they first met. He needed to remain objective. 

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would go back to formalities. 

"So you've always had a detail, huh?" Bucky watches as Darcy gathers her legs up and folds them in her own sun chaise next to his.

"Yep." She peps. "Even before Captain Rogers started his band of merry men and chained himself to my Grandfather's ankle." Darcy leans back and lets her whole body go long in the chair. She reaches her hand above her head to really give into the stretch and Bucky fails miserably at not admiring how her arched back pushes her Godgiven rack out for a glorious display.

A moment only made more unprofessional by Darcy catching him and giving him a knowing wink around a playful smile before forgoing the stretch and once again draping herself in the chair.

"My cover has always been there. I just wasn't always aware. My school Janitor. Neighbors. Anyone who could have a reason to be around without a reason to form a bond, really. Aside from college when it was harder to hide the fact my roommate always managed to have all the same classes, I was none the wiser. It was precise planning on my Mom's behalf. She felt if I was made aware that I was different than I would  _feel_ different. My Dad knows a lot of his demons come from a first rate, fucked up, high society upbringing so he was inclined to agree to her terms." 

Darcy face goes soft and happy at the remembrance of her Mother. She sounded like a spit fire for calling out shots to a Stark.

"Your parents? They, uh? They were never together." Bucky didn't know if a landmine laid out in this territory.

"Uh ah." She shakes her head no. "Though can't say my Dad didn't try. For  _years_ he tried. My Mom said it would never work and the woman was a bit stubborn when she got her mind on something." Darcy laughs.

"Sounds like a family trait." Bucky teases and Darcy goes to swat his arm but falls short. Her hand connects with his open palm. She lets herself rest there before giving him a squeeze and drawing her hand back. 

Bucky is still staring at the point of contact when she continues.

"I think my Mom and I were both relived when he fell for Pepper. My Mom knew what was best for everyone, always. It was kind of a gift." Darcy closes her eyes and lifts her face towards the setting sun.

"You're betraying her."

He hadn't meant to say it like that. He hadn't meant to say it at all.

He was trying to process his realization and could kill himself for doing so aloud. Darcy whips her face back down to meet his eyes. "No, Darce. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Shit." Darcy collects her bottom lip in her teeth. He hates himself.

"What?" She manages with a weak, wounded voice.

He moves to sit by her feet.

"Uh. God." He sighs, run a hand through his hair. "I mean you _feel_ like your betraying her. With the change in cover? Like you're not fighting hard enough for your voice?" Darcy looks away when the first set of tears pickle at her eyes. Bucky hand moves of its own volition and the pad of his thumb brush at a damp streak on her cheek. "I hear your voice, Darce." Her face crinkles around another round of tears she fights back.

"Trust me. You pack more of a punch than you know." He chuckles and leans into a forced whisper. "Between you and me, I think Stevie is a little afraid of you." He smiles and rest a hand on her knee.

Her face relaxes.

"Yeah?" She asks hopeful with a wet laugh.

"Yeah." He confirms warmly. "But he's also shit with beautiful women so I could be reading the situation wrong too." 

Darcy's head dips. A faint blush begins just on the apple of her cheeks. Bucky stops himself from reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She lifts her head again and moves forward. He knows he should protest when she begins to curl up in his lap. It's just that she reminds him of a sad, scared child at the moment and he wants so desperately to provide the comfort she needs.

He sits back a bit to provide her more of his space. She sits sideways and loops her arms around his neck. The side of her face resting near his collar. If he needs to secure her position by resting one hand on her outside thigh and one cradling the back of her head, well then he's just through about her safety.

The small, tender squeezes he gives with his fingertips over the thin material of her leggings are not something he can justify. 

"I'm sorry. I know this isn't in your job description. I just- You just nailed it, ya know? I mean I miss her. Who wouldn't miss their Mom? It's just going through all this practically alone makes me realize how hard she fought for me. Wish I had kinda told her "Thank You" more."

"You're not alone, Darcy." He means it.

She expresses her gratitude by splaying her finger through the hair just above the nape of his neck and idly twirling as she sits in silence.

A few moments go by and he's lost count how many times his Adams apple must have bobbed under the weight of a heavy swallow. 

"Darce, we should get going." He says with his lips pressed to her head. She nods in agreement and the movement has him draw his face back. She looks up at him from the small space they created.

He risks a look at her bite swollen lips. He instantly knows it was a mistake. She just so there. All he would have to do his move his face and his lips we be over hers. He clears his throat. 

It would be beyond inappropriate but he let's himself imagine "what-if" briefly.

"Darce, we really should-" She doesn't move. Not a single muscle. He thinks maybe she's waiting for something as much as he's fighting against it.

They just look at each. They look pass each other, through each other and into each other.

His phone rings and his chest sags from relief and ache equally.

He shifts to help a fleeing Darcy back into her seat.

He stands to pace. He answers his call and watches Darcy wipe her eyes and compose herself. He hates himself. He can't believe he let a realization just spill out like that.

He fights to focus on what Steve is going over on the phone. He gets the feeling there would be an unofficial, informal quiz later.

He finishes his call and Darcy is gathering her belongings to head back inside. She looks at him when she realizes he's off the phone.

"Looks like I am getting a day off." He holds the phone up weakly and puts it back in his pocket.

He knew this wasn't exactly 9 to 5 employment but with so few people willing to work with 'the bosses daughter', it took almost weeks for Steve to secure a replacement schedule.

She gives a half hearted nod with a wimpy smile and he knows she is faking her excitement for him despite still very much wanting to cry.

It breaks his heart. He takes a step towards her and she stiffens. The shift lets him know his services as physical support have expired a would not be received well. 

He stops.

He puts both hands in his pocket and rocks awkwardly on his feet.

She gives a grateful scrunch of her face and moves pass him. Just as she does, a small sniffle leaves her and he can't hold back anymore. He reaches out for her hand and uses it to swiftly draw her into his space. 

He has her engulfed in a comforting embrace and she begins to let out everything she holds back.

He can feel it too. The sadness. The anger. The lost of control. He's been there. Only, he hadn't had someone hold him like he holds her now. He doesn't take the job lightly. 

She's tough, he knows that. Though now, he allows her the grace to slip.

Fifteen minutes pass and she is still encased in his arms. He feels her collecting herself again. Pretty soon he hears a weak "Thank you".

He looks down smiling and places both hands on either side of her face with his forehead pressed to her's.

"Anytime." He smiles with the ease as if he had just passed her the salt.

"Yeah, well. Don't expect to needing to do that much more. The Dam doesn't break all that often." She smiles but makes no move to from their positioning. "Sometimes it just kinda catches up to you, ya know"?

"Yeah. I do." He did.

"Right. Well-" Now she shifts back and begins to straighten her clothing. "Maybe we should be going."

"Right." He confirms with a nod. "You go first and wait outside your window." He motions for her to start down the latter.

"Barnes?" She turns. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I wouldn't." He assures and she smiled with more conviction.

He couldn't. He's pretty sure none of what transpired was protocol.

~*~

There was never more fortunate timing for a day off. 

After yesterday's emotionally charged ending, space was a Godsend. He needed a chance to breathe.

He finally drags himself from the bed to his couch around 11. He doesn't bother changing out his low slung sweats, let alone put a shirt on. He couldn't be bother to do much of anything besides the opening of an early beer to be honest.

He has just settled in front of the week's recorded baseball games he had yet to watch when a frantic knock comes from the door.

Through the peep hole there is a bouncy Darcy, well bouncing.

He opens the door slightly and she pushes the rest of the way to make room for herself and rush into the space.

"Hurry, hurry. Before Barton redirects his cameras and catches us." She whispers playfully.

Bucky hears that "us" but he is definitely not in on the plan of Darcy being here in his personal quarters.

He takes a few steps back in the room and turns to watch her do up the lock on the door. He was in trouble.

She turns and rest her back against the entrance before taking him in. A sly smile spreads across her face.

"Oh sure. Of COURSE you look like that?" She shakes her head in disbelief and Bucky suddenly feels very naked. He shifts nervously trying to lay an arm across his torso.

"What? How did you get down here unnoticed?" Please let her have gone unnoticed. Please do not let Steve find out by this.

She goes about removing her outer sweater and she walks lazily around his living space.

"Someone left an unattended bag near a service entrance. Odd, huh?" Her mouth gives her away. She is amused at her own ingenuity. "Everyone is pretty interested in that at the moment." She stalks closer to him and motions to the beer in his hand.

"Aren't you gonna offer me one?"

He wasn't. He absolutely was not going to do that.

"Last one. Sorry, Darling." He shrugs and hopes she gets the hint.

"No matter." She chimes and steps closer to him to relieve him of the bottle from his hand. She doesn't break eye contact as she takes a long pull from the drink. "We can share."

Other than taking back the outreached offering of his beer, he hasn't moved. He thinks his best defense against her, and himself honestly, would be to remain completely still. He couldn't risk either of them getting a wrong thought.

Too late.

Darcy's palm lays flat against his bare abs.

"Seriously, dude. Where do you even find the time to keep these? You're like  _always_ right next to me."

Okay. He is going to need to be a little more direct.

"Darcy-" He manages before his breath hinges on her finger tips moving ever so slightly under his movements.

"Hmm?" She hums looking up him with eyes that she has to  _know_ what they are doing.

He looks to the ceiling for good measure. Darcy takes the opportunity to occupy the space his chin just had... with her mouth.

She lands the first kiss flat and flush against his neck. It is light, sweet and yet still full of want. His knees want to buckle. He lets out a groan and the hand holding his drink goes to her hip.

He knows he should use the hold to push her back and away from him. He thanks Whomever that he still faces the ceiling and the sight of her pressed into him can't tease him further.

"So?" She begins as she presses three kisses to his collar."Anything special planned for your day off. All alone down here, without a single surveillance camera?" One more kiss to his bare peck. 

By now he's hard. Given the fact he's in sweatpants, he knows Darcy knows he's hard.

Maybe she needed to be sure. The hand still on his stomach turns and begins to trail down towards the waistband band of his pants.

That was the line. He knows this shouldn't be crossed. He places his hand on her's to stop the movement.

He draws in a full breath.

"Darcy. You shouldn't be down here." 

"I know." She confirms salaciously.

He was going to die by her doing. 

"I'm serious. This..." He trails. "This isn't going to happen. I don't think this is what you think it is."

What did he even think this was?

"No?" She purrs closing the space once more and places a hand on either side of pelvic bone above his pant line and nuzzles her nose against the curve where his jaw meets his neck. "See, if this were the day before yesterday, I would be inclined to agree with you. I was convinced that this was all in my head. That I was actually imagining this from some Stockholm syndrome personified by utter loneliness. But no, then you held me too. I saw you, Barnes. This is exactly what I think it is." He does nothing to stop her from rising on her toes. To his credit, he at least doesn't kiss her back once she connects with his lips.

Though, that may have been worse than stopping her. Definitely less embarrassing for all involved.

"Oh my God." She says pulling slightly back from his lips. "Oh my God. This is awful."

"Darcy-" for the first time since she began touching him, she is not in arm's reach when he goes for her.

She is now putting on her sweater in a hurry. 

"Okay. Well so, this never happened. Okay? Oh God. I am so sorry."

"Darcy." He tries again.

"No, Barnes. Stop. Either one of two things is happening here. Either this  _was_ all in my head and I am that spectacularly pathetic. OR! It is  _not_ all in my head and you just did nothing in helping me not look spectacularly pathetic. Though, anyway you turn it, I am mortified." She reaches the door. "So I am just going to let myself out and this never happened. Al'right?" 

"I'm sorry!" He manages and Darcy turns around to face him. "Sorry. This is my fault." He says quietly. "Fuck!" He says not so quiet. "Look, This is on me. You were upset and vulnerable yesterday and I tiptoed right up to a line I shouldn't have. I am so sorry." He scrambles to find a way to explain. "Darcy, you're my  _job._  This... We can't  _ever_ do... this!" He motions between them.

"Oh my God. It  _can get worse_." She blinks heavily a few times before setting on her intended task.

"I'm trying here! How is that worse? You know as well as I, we shouldn't even be having this conversation."

"Because Barnes-" emotion threatens to spill out from around her words. He can feel them. "I just threw myself at you. No, wait. I basically molested you if we're being honest. So I am all over you because of some delusional idea that you wanted me too, but then you say " _I'm your job_ "! Really?!" She stops to collect herself and Bucky knows everything she has begun to show him, everything that has opened in the last couple weeks is getting tucked back down. "I, at the very least, thought you cared. I didn't know I was some still some assignment."

Bucky knew this much. When a woman stops yelling, when her words go from passionate to deliberately clipped, you're screwed. At this point it may be best to just let her leave.

He bows his head and she turns back to the door.

She has incredible speed navigating the door locks and by the time he wills himself to go to her she is out in the hall with the door shut behind her.

As soon as his hand reaches the door handle he hear the other voice in the hall.

"Ms. Lewis? Uh, Darcy. Everything all right?" Bucky freezes and watches the exchange through the peep hole.

It's Sam Wilson. Bucky had met him a few times around the Tower. He got the impression he was being groomed to be Steve's second in command.

"Uh. Yeah. I just thought maybe Barnes had carried my messenger bag in for me last night. Can't seem to find it anywhere." Darcy shrugs.

"Your canvas messenger bag?" Wilson asks in a tone that sounded doubtful.

"Yep. That's the one."

"Well, lucky for you it was just identified in a camera blind spot outside the 34th floor service entrance. Darnest thing, huh?" Yep. He was completely doubtful. "I was just coming to ask Barnes if he knew anything about it."

"Well, I'll be! That is odd." Darcy gives a mega-white smile. "May I have it?"

"Sure thing, right this way." Wilson directs Darcy down the hall and Bucky loses the chance to reel her back in and smooth everything over.

"Fuck!" He kicks the door, hopeful Wilson is far enough down the hall he didn't hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who left comments on the last chapter! Great to know there was still interest in these crazy kids!


	7. No One's Fairy Godmother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my silly putty chapter. I had it written and then I thought "You know what?" I totally see potential to streeeetch this here and stretch a lllliiiittttllle bit there and not only NOT have it jeopardize the integrity of the current story but leave room to really enrich the next two chapters, including character development, after this. So I am going to take the risk. 
> 
> There will be actual action sequences in the next two chapters. Oh my Thor, I am equally excited and nervous to attempt those.
> 
> Two more chapter on this bad boy (and if I can seem to go a full week without a negative comment on Soulmates and Other Fallacies... ((don't bother checking. I delete them as they come))), Then I will start an action heavy, Agent Darcy Lewis plot bunny I want to write. Hence wanting to stretch this and add some action. I'm getting comfortable!
> 
> There is a second half of a scene in here for Casedeputy. I have been DYING to use it. I hope you recognize it. (My apologizes to Shadows_of_Shemai. I originally thought you had planted the seed but I was mistaken. None-the-less, you can count it for you too!) hint: chapter 3 comments

Despite having over twenty-four hours to thoroughly chastise himself and make two separate, unsuccessful attempts to seek out Darcy in the Tower unnoticed, he is certain this ride up to her floor is where his knees will finally betray him and buckle.

Bucky steps in the open living space of the Penthouse. It is no quieter than the last time he was up here. It is days until the Maria Stark Foundation Benefit and the whole tower seems to be at full salute. He, himself, was called out for a tuxedo fitting this very morning. Bucky was beginning to wonder if more people planned parties for Stark than actual Green Energy work.

Despite the small crowd, it doesn't take long for him to spot her. He lets the automatic pull they've developed in their short time direct him.

He feels the moment she realizes he has enter the room. The space between them becomes thick and ripe with feelings of deep regret between the both of them.

Bucky wants to say the right thing here.The magic words. There are too many people around. Ever since being introduced to the other private security details, he has had the feeling he is being scrutinized. He knows if he takes this opportunity to pour all of himself at Darcy's feet, like he wants to, than yesterday was for naught. He could of very well kissed her for all he was worth when he had the chance and suffer the consequences now.

So he says nothing.

He can only bring himself to gives a curt nod.

Darcy's chest dips with a sigh before she squares her shoulders and tilts her chin upwards.

"Let's go." Darcy manages. He follows suit and allows her lead him to the lift.

There are no playful stolen glances today. Darcy isn't radiating any tension. Though it's not her usual zest for life either. 

The doors open and then close behind them. Darcy ask the lift to take them to Ground Level. Bucky lifts his gaze but the question is addressed before he can ask it.

"I'll pay for Cab fare. I just don't want to zip around town on the back of your bike, al'right?" He understood. The pang of guilt is enviable though.

"Don't do that, Barnes." Darcy shoots.

"Do what?"

"Whatever it is going on with your face."

"Darcy-"

"Don't you think you've suffered enough? I mean _seriously_. If you feel we need to talk and _over talk_  it to death, you're wrong. I am not going to suddenly resort back to childish petulance because you turned me down after I _may_  have slightly assaulted you. Neither you or I deserve the punishment of living solely in that moment for the remainder of our time together. So please, can we please move forward with our professional relationship?"

She was so articulate, so calculated. He knew there was already a wall constructed literally overnight and it was reinforced heavily.

He has to try through. See if there is still a crack for light to get through.

Unlike the Stark employees that had littered the previous space, the elevator cameras were of no concern of his. He reaches for the fingers of her left hand with his right. He holds them with his thumb running over the spot just above her knuckles and waits for her reaction.

At first she looks at the embrace. He thinks he may even see her chest sag and shoulders slump a bit. It is not long before she finds his eyes with her's. She gives a sad crinkle of her brow and small shake of her head.

He knows that this is really it. Whatever kinship that was forming is sitting in a small pile on his side of the wall. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze and lets it down slowly.

~*~

The end of a cold, silent cab ride found them in front of Darcy's apartment door soon after Bucky insisted on paying the toll.

"Barnes?" She fishes out her keys and palms them while turning to face him. She uses a voice unsure of her next sentiment. "I really just kinda want to be alone in there, al'right?"

"Darcy-" He lets out exasperated because he doesn't have the strength to tell her no but he needs to appear like he is not going to let their stunted rapport run them now.

"Look, I will leave the door cracked, I won't even open the window and I promise to stay in the living room." She looks down, "It's kinda hard to lick your wounds with an audience, okay?"

She was right and it would be simple to grant her the opportunity to do so in relative private.

He nods and takes her keys to open the door. He does a quick scan of the apartment. Darcy stands between the back of the couch and the entry way waiting for him to finish. As he does, he regards her warmly enough to show he is doing this as a friend but coolly enough to let her know he won't tolerate regretting it.

Bucky takes position just outside, leaning his back against the door frame. He keeps his eyes forward enough to give her the room but his head tilted so he can still watch for movement out of his peripheral.

A short time passes and Bucky moves the door slightly to check in on her.

Over the back of the couch he can see her seated with her back up against the arm. She has pulled her large white comforter from her bed and has it wrapped around her so even the top of her head is engulfed in a fluffy down cloud. The only bits of her poking out are her the tip of her face and one hand holding her older model Ipod, scrolling through the songs. Two white cords trail from the device and lose themselves in her blanket fort.

It looks like a new low. It looks like remorse mixed with embarrassment and tinged with the anticipation of the coming social event where Darcy was supposed to be some living, breathing centerpiece from the way anyone had been talking about it.

He turns to face forward once again.

If things were how they were just a few days ago, he would have gone to her. Picked up her legs and settled them across his lap as he found his seat. He would have reached for one of her ear buds and let himself get lost in her thoughts so she wouldn't have to be alone.

But maybe it was actions like that, that landed him out here in the hall in the first place.

To pass the time, he mentally goes over the numerous list of Emergency Contingency plans Steve thinks he has long since mesmerized.

When he looks back Darcy is slumped slightly against the back of the couch. He waits and determines he wouldn't be bothering her to check in. 

He creeps to peer over the piece of furniture. Darcy had fallen asleep. 

He pushes a drool soaked strand of hair from her cheek and smiles fondly as he guides her to lay fully across the cushions. He places the ipod in safer place, careful not to let the buds leave her ears. 

After it appears she is better situated he goes back out into the hall to grant her privacy.

~*~

The rest of the day continued on with the same somber vibe. Only, Bucky can feel the edge of bitter threatening to whaff from the both of them.

They were trying their best to backtrack and interact solely on professional terms from here on out. However the breakdown of communication paired with the realization of the lost of a friend, they both seemed to just be  _angry._

The targetedsnips had begun the morning after Darcy had retreated to her apartment. By the end of the second night, there wasn't much said between them that wasn't meant to sting a little.

The morning of the party, Bucky had thanked the Primping Gods that Pepper had set up a full day of pampering for Darcy in the Penthouse. It left him to himself until he was to report in his brand new, Stark Industries funded, fully tailored tuxedos at 18:00.

He needed the space. Working with two other, unknown, bodyguards tonight left him a little insecure about his unorthodox style.Then there was trying to figure the best way to navigate Darcy's disdain for being near him at the moment without jeopardizing her safety.

What he wouldn't give for a drink.

"Well, I see you can fill out a suit, so long it doesn't belong to someone else." 

They had been here before. It was the day she had called a truce. He can recall himself stepping off the elevator to a entrancing Darcy in a stunning dress and Clint tacking something on to her hem.

Only this was no Luncheon dress.

It was red. As red as her lips and sin. As far as Bucky was concerned the two former actually seemed to be mutually exclusive. The neckline dipped a threatened to let the undeniably the most mesmerizing breast Bucky has ever had the pleasure of noticing spill out. Her waist was cinched and it let the fabric drape over the curve of her hip that Bucky thought should be illegal. He knew she came by it honestly. He suspected there wasn't much they could dress her in that didn't invoke the appeal it is now. However, how Pepper was going to sign off on Darcy showing up to the Benefit looking like walking sex was beyond him. Though he assumes the soft wave of her hair was to soften the illicit feel.

Either way he was in awe. 

"In polite company, it would do you better to offer a Lady a simple "you look nice tonight" than let your tongue wag all over the marble floors."

"I will keep that in mind the next time I am in the presence of a Lady. _Or_ polite company for that matter."

Clint turns and gives Bucky a smirk over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Barnes. Why yes, this was a tremendous effort. Thank you for noticing."

"Oh I noticed." He looks her over once more with a raised brow.

"You're an ass."

Darcy shifts immediately dictates annoyance but there was something else there too. She was nervous. Bucky realizes she had actually been genuinely seeking his approval. It was much like she had in the dress shop. She was nervous and wanted his encouragement. 

He was an ass.

He knew his next move should be delicate. He wanted her to know exactly what he thought not only of her appearance but how brave she was for stepping out with so much to do surrounding it.

There was a balance to consider. Telling a woman you practically rejected that you're certain to never find anyone to ever compare to her was not in good forum. Even he knew that.

Too bad he rarely listened.

He takes his time to lean over another tuxedo clad Clint. He uses his hand on the slim of her waist as equal parts an anchor as effect He further himself to her ear.

"I have been around the World more than a dozen times. I am no short of certain that I have never witnessed a Sunset back-dropped behind any view more captivating than you are tonight."

He lingers next to the soft curve of her neck because he is nothing if not a masochist.

When she lets out a long, flush breath he can smell the alcohol, both fresh and stale, fill the small space between them. He pulls back fully and meets her eyes with his hand still on her waist.

"Go to Hell, Barnes." She says after she has schooled her panting expression.

Clint cackles loudly at her quip.

"Time hasn't seemed to effect that natural Brooklyn Boy charm, I see." The voice behind him robs him of every ounce of thrill he just acquired.

He doesn't have to turn to see the careful smirk on her face. That along with so many other things about her are seared into his memory. 

After he reels in his shock, he turns towards her. To his surprise, she doesn't have one of the many weapons, he knows she has on her person, trained on him.

She takes the four more steps to greet him. After kissing her cheek he holds her at arms length to inspect the Spirit of Past Regrets.

They couldn't be more different. The two women he stands between. Where Darcy was soft and curved, the woman in front of him was decidedly more firm and lethal. She was no less beautiful. He knew the high slight in her black, fitted floor length gown was for utility and movement should the evening call for it but that knowledge did nothing to hide her appeal.

"Nat." He swallows taking her in. "You look... _content_." He meant something more prolific but it was true. She looked much happier than the last time he saw her walking out on a morose and self loathing Bucky.

"You look tired." She doesn't hesitate to offer after taking in his appearance and swiping a smudge of her lipstick from the side of his face, before peering around him to see Darcy. "Hey Split-pea." She coos with a familiar adoration before propelling herself forward towards the younger woman.

"My favorite dangerous Redhead." Darcy opens her arm and waits for Natasha to close the distance.

"Mine too." Pings Clint who has since finished his task and stands near the embracing women. Bucky catches the wink Natasha shoots the other man while turning to stand next to Darcy and face Bucky.

Well shit. Talk about a deadly pair. He didn't stand a chance with both woman already obviously in cahoots.

"So, uh you two know each, it seems."

"Oh yeah-" Darcy preens while bringing an arm up to drape it over Natasha's shoulders and clasp it to her other hand. Bucky recognized the playful leering grin Darcy was giving his Ex. "Natasha here was my detail one glorious semester of my undergrad. I made sure  she had a proper college experience after her asshole boyfriend went off reservation and-" He almost let his thoughts wonder before Darcy began to connect the dots. "Which actually makes more sense now...  _and_ is potentially awkward for everyone in this foyer right now... so..." Darcy trailed off.

"Not me." Clint interjected lightheartedly. He shrugged towards Bucky. "I mean it allowed me a chick totally out my league  _and those_ stories of man-hating rebounding with a stacked College co-ed?" Clint stares whimsically off in space while resting a hand on his chest. "That's the kind of stuff that will keep me warm until my dying breath." Clint sighs for effect before looking at Bucky once more. "Sorry, Man."

Bucky doesn't know how Clint manages to say the things he does and only seem to have Bucky like him more. Plus, he would be lying if the idea of buying Clint several drinks in exchange for a few of those stories didn't sound appealing. He was only human.

"Yeah well keep talking like that and your dying breath will be he sooner than later, Buddy " Darcy warns and Bucky watches Natasha make the same realization he had next to Darcy.

"Getting an early start on the Punch bowl, Little One?" Natasha frees herself from Darcy and stands more authoritative.

"Well, fun fact! Getting your hair and make up done means bottomless Champagne. Who knew?"

"That's a whole lot more than Champagne going on there, Darce." Bucky dares to enter the interrogation and is met with the sharpest of stink eyes from Darcy.

"Thanks  _Dad._ Not that it is any of your business- oh wait. I am your  _job."_ Bucky straightens to ward off the direction of conversation. It seems to work. "Anywho, seems my nerves didn't calm by the time the quick buzz of bubbly wore off so I pour myself a couple of something dark. Relax, you guys, I am going to a party, aren't I?" Darcy relaxes her face towards the other two in the room.

Natasha lifts a sculpted brow that Bucky recognized as a plea for caution and Clint never seemed too concerned in the first place.

Bucky notices that Darcy doesn't look to him for acceptance of her admission.

"So Barnes, as you may have guessed, we are your team tonight." Clint says while fitting his earpiece in his ear not currently ocuppoed with his hearing aid. "You caught up on the three point flank protocols?"

"Oh Barnsey here is super dedicated to his work. I am sure there is nothing he wouldn't jeopardize." Darcy bites as Natasha goes about adjusting the top of Darcy's sweetheart neckline over Darcy's ample bust.

Bucky rolls his eyes and nods in conformation to Clint.

"I am. I will take lead. Clint, you have first On Person rotation." Bucky is thankful for the presence of an ex-military team. Darcy aside, he knows the others will respond to professionalism and order.

"Well, let's get this over with then!" Darcy claps her hands together and makes her way to the elevator. Each member of her detail not far behind.

~*~

Rich people threw dreadfully dull parties. 

It was large. It was loud. It was beautifully done but it was dull. Mostly ego stroking from rich guy to rich guy.

They had only been there through two rotations. Bucky stayed for both in what would be Clint permanent perch on the 2nd floor balcony overlooking the dance floor and general mingling area. 

He used his advantage to direct Natasha to redirect any beverage trays making their way to Darcy's line of sight.

"Do you really think this is the best use of your surveillance?" Natasha chided in her Comm as she subtly shifted a passing waiter with a definite-possible spy maunver. "Remember what I said."

How could he when he was trying to forget.

_Darcy had insisted she would not drive in the lead Towne car if Bucky was her passenger._

_When both she and Bucky reached near temper tantrum levels, Clint stepped in to offer Darcy the fold of his elbow._

_"Come on, Sugar. You're probably the only woman my wife would let me get away with dating on the side anyways. Might be fun to pretend for the night." Darcy had the audacity to stick her tongue out at Bucky before accepting Clint's arm._

_Natasha had never been so free with her expression as she was with the knowing smirk she wore at Bucky's expense._

_"Get in the car." Bucky ordered through gritted teeth pointing Natasha to the trail car._

_The first bit of the drive was a comfortably quiet despite the volume of unspoken words currently shouting themselves at Bucky. Familiarity was a funny thing. It had been years since he had been this close and this alone with Natasha. They weren't so completely changed that they forgot what is was like to exist in the same space._

_The comfort endure despite the fact it shouldn't. Despite the fact he couldn't bring himself to say any of the things he should in the short ride they had to the venue._

_He was beginning to notice a trend._

_"Clint had mentioned his camera feed had been getting a little more intriguing the last few days but I thought for sure he had been exaggerating for dramatic effect." Natasha doesn't take her eyes off the street passing by the window._

_Bucky turns to face her_  and the _subject matter head on._

_"Relax. You think he's going to rat you out to Steve or something? Not really his style, James." Natasha faces him. "So how far gone are you for her anyways? " He has seen her smile more now than the entire year after his liberation._

_"I'm not."_

_And now she was laughing. He guesses there actually were some things you could forget about a person. He doesn't remember her ever sounding so lighthearted._

_"Darcy is my charge. She just doesn't make it easy."_

_"No?" Natasha faced the window once more. "From what I recall, she wasn't nearly as difficult as she seems with you. You must have a gift."_

_A few more streets passed before Natasha turned to him again._

_"For what it's worth, when I heard Steve had dragged you out of your hole to cover Darcy, I knew-" Natasha dips her face and lets a smile settled. "I knew this was going to be your turning point." She faces him. "Darcy has... well she has a way of drawing people out. I guess I can now say the response isn't always immediate admiration." She pauses. "Though, even you can't deny, whatever she makes you feel it's strong, isn't? You of all people need to be reminded what it's like to really feel among the living again. Maybe you just need to find the right way to channel it."_

_"What is that supposed to mean?"_

_"Don't chase it away by being an asshole." She doesn't bother to soften it. He wouldn't have expected her too._

_"I'm hired help, Nat. I need to remain objective to keep the pretty little rich girl safe."_

_"Oh please!" She snaps. "This is your career now? Are you going to become the good solider and work up to Steve's second in command? From what I heard, you were originally here on a favor. Now you're Stark Industries employee of the month?"_

_Bucky doesn't answer. He is sitting in his seat suddenly realizing this trend theory grew stronger. Maybe these women weren't so different as he originally noted. There was a definite emerging of a "type"._

_Infuriating women with access to weapons._

_Furthermore, they didn't seem to want to throw in the towel on him when he so clearly deserved it._

_He and his self sabotaging was the trend._

_Bucky looks over to Natasha. He takes in her profile as she takes in the passing city._

_This could have been them in another time. Had never pushed her away this could have been them on their way to some place all dressed up and still in love._

_He smiles._

_He knows why he likes Clint so much. Natasha loves Clint. He was what she deserved after the disaster Bucky had been_   _. She deserves everything he couldn't give her then._

_The car slows to the curb and Natasha hurries herself to exit before the car in front of them. Bucky reaches his hand out to stop her._

_"I know you deserve to_ hear _so much more than this but; I'm sorry."_

_Natasha brings her hand up to his face._

_"The magic is working already."_ _She kisses his cheek. "Don't be an asshole." She says before exiting the car._

A drink tray slips his view for the third time since they had arrived and he sighs at Darcy helping herself to another glass.

"Al'right, let's rotate this again. Clint you're up here, Natasha you roam and I will take On Person. On your move, Barton."

"Are you sure you're the best fit to be at Darcy's side right now? I mean she is currently talking to actual Nobility of a small country. We would not want a scene." Bucky can hear Clint's laughter at his wife's question.

"Romanov I am Point on this. Once Barton relieves me up here, I will be On Person and you will rotate to Roaming. Worry less about my abilities and keep the God damn cocktails away from Darcy." He hoped that was enough to end the question portion of the evening.

"Yes, Sir." Natasha turns and salutes up towards the balcony and Clint once again thinks his wife is a crack up.

The key to the On Person position was to be close enough to reach the person quickly but far enough to not interfere. In essence Bucky was to be a shadow.

What Bucky was not anticipating was an up-close account of Prince Vaughn Touchy Hands pawing at Darcy. Worse yet, Darcy was flush with laughter and batting her eyelashes at the man.

Each light touch did not set easy with him. Twice Clint had to remind him to preform his routine scan of the space after the Nobleman's hand lingered on Darcy's waist.

It wasn't so much that she was obviously so enthralled by some jerk off. Okay, it wasn't  _solely_ that she was so obviously enthralled by some jerk off.  _This_ particular jerk off sent his hairs on end. There was something in the way he moved. Bucky thought it was too fluid and methodical. He moved like Bucky, graceful as he was lethal. Bucky would bet anything to say this guy wasn't some polo playing playboy who merely happened upon Darcy tonight. No matter how radiant she looked.

He crack the knuckles of his flesh hand against the palm of his metal one. He's certain Clint probably heard the sound the next floor up.

"Shouldn't she be talking to more people? Moving about the room?" Bucky asks into his Comm.

"Not our paygrade to make it happen." Clint answers. "There are Publicist and junk for that. We're just supposed to protect without being seen."

Bucky sighs bringing a hand up to scrub his face.

"Don't do it, Barnes. That is not our responsibility." Natasha warns.

"No? Not letting her get drunk and groped doesn't constitute keeping her safe?"

"Hate to tell ya, Buddy. The Gentleman's company doesn't seem to be unwelcomed from up here." 

Bucky caste his eye up to Clint at that and the other man only offers a shrug.

His attention is brought back to Darcy whimsically laughing loudly at some her party companion had said.

Not that Bucky could be sure of what words were exchanged exactly because now the man's mouth was close to Darcy's ear. The only thing separating a full press of their bodies was Darcy's hand laid flat on Duke Douches' chest and keeping them a forearm distance apart.

"I can't get a visual on Darcy's face. I am going to engage." Bucky takes a full step towards Darcy.

"I've got it. I can see her. No distress, Barnes. She is not in need of extraction." Natasha's words were clipped. Bucky knew she was trying to convey authority without pulling rank on Bucky's lead. She follows it with. "Back off, James." Which wasn't as concerned with hierarchy of the mission.

Bucky straightens. He feels the pull of tension between his shoulders. He doesn't pretend he is fine with Darcy so obviously being the object of another man's interest. It's just _this man_. He can't move pass the unease. Though he is helpless. Without a proven threat to Darcy's safety he needs to remain passive, a ghost, when he wants to reach out to her and redirect her attention away from the charmed foreigner and the bar equally.

"Bucky, fancy meeting you here." Fuck. Hearing Steve was the last thing he needed to add to the situation. Bucky turns halfway at the voice to remain vigil of Darcy but greet Steve.

He was wrong. Steve was standing with a man Bucky recognized as Tony Stark was the last thing he needed to add to the situation.

Bucky looked around the men, Steve must have been Stark's On Person man. Why were they allowed to interact?

"James Barnes, this is Mr. Stark. Darcy's father." Steve begins introductions. 

"And technically your boss." Stark offers his outstretched hand with a raised brow. "And Tony is fine. Please."

Bucky connects his right hand with Tony's and without thinking brings his left up to clasp the outside of the other man's arm.

"Sir." He nods before turning his head to check in on Darcy.

"Oh so that's the arm, huh? I have got to tell you I have been completely curious about-"

He can hear both Steve and Tony talking but he is fixated on Darcy throwing her head back in roaring laughter. He swears the man across from Darcy was looking down-right predatory at the exposed skin of her neck. Bucky's eyes narrow.

"Romanov, I am going to need you at an 11 o'clock from Darcy's front. Keep a visual on hands." He can tell both the men beside him have paused their attempt to engage him in conversation and have turned their attention to examine the supposed threat.

Bucky doesn't realize he is lingering until Steve clears his throat.

Bucky turns back to the two men as Stark is draining the remains of his scotch glass and sets it on a passing tray.

"Well I guess this seems as good of a time as any to address some rumors around the Tower." Tony pats dry his goatee with a cocktail napkin. 

Bucky knows what he is referring too. Seems the security team like to gossip. He looks at Steve, who's expression remains passive but it was more than that. Steve  _was trying_ to look passive. He was protecting his friend. He had obviously not been spared the speculation but was not going to throw Bucky under a bus.

A familiar comradery overtakes him. He remembers this Steve. Not the _all business and no play,_ Steve but his friend.

"You and my daughter-"

If there was ever an opportune time for Darcy to begin to move it was then.

Bucky notices as soon as her back turns to him because despite allowing Stark to attempt to engage him in conversation, Bucky focus was never not Darcy.

Bucky practically growls as the man leading Darcy to the far corner of the room bring a hand up to rest a little too low on the small of her back.

"Barton." He barks. "Where are they headed?"

"My guess would be the door to the outside balcony." Clint, to his credit, answers swiftly without banter.

"James-" Natasha warns. 

Darcy exchanges her empty Champagne flute for a full one and Bucky breaks protocol.

In four lengthy strides he is between Darcy and the gentleman. His right hand is under her elbow and he uses his left to relieve Darcy of her glass and hands it to her shocked companion.

"Barnes!" Darcy manages a hushed shout at the surprise.

"She's had a great time, buddy but maybe it's best you find someone else to take out for some _fresh air_."

"Barnes." She says again decidedly more firm.

"Darcy." He answers while beginning to lightly tug at her arm to get her to follow.

"People are starting to look!" Darcy was back to her harsh whisper.

"Is there a problem here?" The other guy finally finds his voice and lifts a finger in the air and his own security team begins to close in. Of course he had his own security team.

Bucky sizes up each of the two men approaching. Not too much physical threat, he assets but he also can't help but notice his Comms have become decidedly quiet since he engaged.

"No Jean-Paul, this is my, as of tomorrow, unemployed security detail. Seems he is a little too overzealous with his  _job."_ She didn't seem as worse for the wear as he assumed with the amount of drinks he had counted but that didn't mean he was going to let her continue on her destination with  _anyone._

"I am taking you home." Bucky states firmly.

"The hell you are." Darcy replies as she snaps her elbow out of his slight grip. She lowers her voice to sharp growl. "You're embarrassing me." There is a low dip of her head as she looks around. She was right. People  _were_ beginning to notice. He needed to stand down until he could find a reasonably more subtle way to extract Darcy.

She reaches a hand out lightly for "Jean-Paul" to receive. 

"I'm sorry. You were saying?" Darcy steps around the space Bucky is occupying in a clear move to dismiss him.

Jean-Paul looks to his men and nods for a retreat before turning to rest a hand on Darcy once again as they walked away. Only this time it missed her lower back completely and landed on the swell of her right butt cheek.

The way the man gloated over his shoulder at Bucky as he gave a small squeeze to Darcy's backside left Bucky certain it was no accident.

This time he covered the distance with much more precise speed. He spins Darcy so she faces him. He bends forward to lean into her and successfully throw her over his right shoulder swiftly enough there wasn't initial resistance.

Bucky straightens and rights himself. He believes he must have clued back into the room the same time Darcy had. When her kicks and general resistance subside it was abundantly clear they had the room's attention.

Jean-Paul, being the whimp Bucky took him for, only put up a hand to call off his men before he taking a step back to remove himself from the chance to be seen so close to the scene unfolding.

"My heart is going to give out from sheer humiliation." He hears her say somewhere near his buttock.

Well he couldn't very well put her down now.

She would have to turn and face everyone to walk out on her own accord.

He did the only chivalrous thing he could think of at that point.

He secures the arm holding her in position and begins an even, steady pace through the silent, vigilant and parting crowd towards the main exit.

Halfway through the journey he stops at the feet of a slack jaw Stark and an incredibly pained Steve. They had not granted the courtesy of making space as all of the other party guest had.

They just stared.

"Sir." Bucky nods to Stark. "Rogers." Then a nod to Steve to bid both men a farewell.

"Oh. My. God, maybe death would be better." Darcy speaks again into his backside. She presses the tips of her fingers into the small allowance of excess skin above both of his hips, urging him to continue on with their course.

Bucky abides and they make there way towards the exit.

"Get Lewis' Lead car out front  _NOW."_ Bucky notes Wilson demanding into a Comm as the pair pass in the still pin-drop silent venue.

Right before they reached the doors, Bucky bends and lets Darcy's feet connect with the floor. He is certain there is still a good deal of press and local gossip pages waiting for a late arriving Socialites outside.

She rights herself and does not spare him a second look. She turns towards the door and waits for him to come around her and open it.

Lightbulbs flash as soon as they begin make their way to the curb and the familiar approaching car.

Bucky grabs a hold of her hand as not to lose sight of her with the rapid lights.

Bucky quickly gets the car door and a composed Darcy slides into the backseat. He shifts and waits for her to slide over to allow him entry. Darcy brings a hand up and guides the door shut with Bucky still on the outside. He calmly brings up a hand to open the door once again when he hears the lock sound. He can't make out Darcy's face through the tinted windows but he can imagine.

Bucky makes it to the front passenger side door and lets himself in after the driver unlocks the door for him.

He doesn't patronize her by trying to engage her in conversation to explain  _why_ he felt any part of that extraction was nessisary.

He just swears under his breath when her tears come.

~*~

 "Darcy!"

She was out of the car and on her way to the garage entrance for the elevator before the car had even come a complete stop. She had her shoes off and was carrying on at a brisk pace.

"Darcy!"

He yells again and she enters the lift and is desperately pleading with the voice recognition software to hurry and shut the doors.

Bucky makes it in as the heavy doors begin to slide together at an alarmed pace.

"No!" She shouts. "No! No! No!" She continues to yell hitting his chest with balled fist. Her shoes long forgotten on the floor of the elevator.

"I'm sorry, Darcy! I'm sorry, al'right." He grabs each of her wrist to still her but she just throws her elbows into hitting him. She does so a few more rounds until she's obviously growing weak.

"Darce, I'm sorry- Look, I know it looks like I was interfering because you were obviously sweet on him-"

"Is that what you think?! IS THAT WHAT YOU _THINK?!_ You think I'm upset because of anything having to do with some guy?!" Darcy's chest was puffed up with anger. " I don't care if I decided to strip naked and throw myself at some guy in the middle of the dance floor. You took away my voice, Barnes! You didn't talk and reason with me like two capable adults. You reacted!" Darcy hands go wide in explanation. "You treated me like they do! Only you quite completely  disregarded me and dragged me out like a Caveman, Barnes. IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE UPPER EAST SIDE!" Her face goes weak and tears threaten again. "I am mortified."

It came out so simple. So small. Though Bucky knew just how deeply she felt it.

"I thought he was a threat. Honest." He had felt this sheepish with guilt ever. "I can't prove it but something was there." His voice sounds so small, even to him.

Darcy laughs mechanically at first and then her face is her hands and her shoulders shake with laughter. It carries on and only increases in intensity until she is just on the edge of hysterics. 

"Ms. Lewis?" If it was at all possible for a elevator to feel concern, Bucky was certain he had just heard it. "I require a floor prompt."

Bucky realizes they hadn't moved yet. Darcy pulls back her head from laughing and wipes away a stray tear while collecting herself.

"Penthouse, J. Thanks." She is still coming off the tail end of giggles when she looks at Bucky. "This is my life." She gives a passionless shrugs.

An haunting calm settles over her in this elevator. Bucky is afraid he is in the process of watching her light dim. To bare witness to when the circus surrounding her the last few months had finally taken hold and robbed her of things he find so extraordinary about her.

"I guess it would have been at least a little nice to think you had pulled me away because you were jealous. I mean barbaric, sure, but at least not too far over the line of "normal". You know?"

Despite being scolded on this very elevator ride for being reactive, he's at it again. He makes quick movement of reaching for her hand and drawing her in. Once she is flush against his front, he brings up two hands to cup her face. His mouth is over her's and doing the very thing he has been thinking about for days. 

He is spurred on by Darcy actually kissing him back. Her hands make no move for him but her kiss is desperate with want. 

Before he makes a move to press further into her, he remembers the cameras and pulls back. The cat is out of the bag by now but he's not up for giving anyone a show.

Darcy allows him to separate them. Her lips full and properly kissed.

She takes a half step back. She brings a hand up and slaps him across his face with all the mite packaged into 5 foot 2 inches of Sass.

Then she pulls at his jacket lapels to bring him back into her.

This time she kisses him. It's needy and urgent. Her hands begin to move. They're in his hair and grabbing fistfuls of shirt. He takes the invitation to let his hands skim over the soft curve of her hips and to flat on her back. He softly holds  her in the embrace as she seeks claim to his lips. 

He thinks it was the small gruff moan he let escape that drew her back to reality.

She swiftly draws back once more. She looks him in the eye and once again lets a stinging slap go across the same cheek it had before.

At that she turns on her heal and exits the awaiting open elevator doors.


	8. Dangle With Me, Darlin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was unsure about Bucky's swearing in the whole story. If he were 1940's Bucky I would have left it out. This Bucky swears. 
> 
>  
> 
> Since someone will inevitably comment; Italic print is the past. "Regular" font is the present.
> 
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> 
> Part of this chapter I am incredibly proud of. Another part was too much to erase and write for a fourth time.

The bottom of the heavy metal chair screeches across the the cement covered patio as she pulls up closer to right. He doesn't look up from the phone at the end of his left arm resting on the table. She crosses her right leg over her left and presses up against his side. She rest the side of her head on his shoulder and looks at the same distracting phone screen. Once she is settled her bring his closest hand up to wedge itself between her pressed thighs and rest flat on the inside of her left. His thumb idly moving a back and forth over the flat of the thickest part of her leg. He still doesn't look up from the screen as he turns his head to press his lips into her hair. She purrs at the contact and wraps her arms around the arm between her legs.

"It's beautiful today. Isn't it" She inquiries with a content sigh.

"It is, Darlin'. It really is."

"All set you two." He tucks the phone as a waitress comes up with a large to-go order all packaged up and places it on the table in front of them. "Enjoy the rest of your day!" The server beams before heading back into the crowded restaurant for lunchtime rush.

"You ready?" He squeezes her leg once more before retrieving his hand from the hold and begins to stand.

"Suppose I have no choice seeing how my pillow just stood up." She smiles at him. "It's al'right. I'm pretty hungry anyways. Let's get home and eat."

He obeys and reaches for her hand. He interweaves their fingers and leads her from the patio. She wraps the arm holding her once more and they walk back to her apartment in that constant contact the whole way.

Once the key to her deadbolt is turned they cease all contact. He allows her to walk in first and they walk pointedly in opposite directions of the small space. She sets off towards the couch and he goes about setting the food on the breakfast bar.

"Finally!" Barton's exasperation comes in clear from Darcy's bedroom. "I have done stakeouts in the middle of Serbia that were quicker with the lunch delivery than you two. What? Were you guys having a little too much fun playing it up for the bad guys?"

Bucky gruffs out a growl in response. He takes his food to sit at the small table in the apartment. He catches Darcy rolling her eyes at the other man but he doesn't let her know he saw it and he agrees.

"Here." Bucky tosses the "phone" he and Darcy had been reading at the restaurant. "Not a single reading. Whatever frequency Stark assumed they were operating on was wrong. That or we have reached the a sudden disinterest in the heiress' love life from would-be kidnappers. My money is on the former."

Barton retrieves the remaining two boxes and hands Darcy the one with a cheeseburger before settling in next to her on the couch and using the coffee table to lay out his meal.

Depsite the running comentary, it was a relief to have Clint running surveillance from Darcy's apartment. His presence made it easier to hide the fact that Bucky and Darcy had not had a real conversation in nearly two weeks outside of being Official Kidnapper Bait.

_He had gotten up with the Sun and showered. He packed the little he had managed to remove from his bag in his time in the Tower. He set his phone and issued gun on the side table as he made the bed. He then took a seat on the edge and waited for the call to come in._

_That was if Steve wasn't going to personally bust down his door and fire him in manner best suited for a Gladiator arena._   _Bucky_ _wouldn't, nor couldn't, blame him. He was surprised he hadn't been called in last night after the rest of the Starks had made it back from the Benefit._

_The morning had ticked on and his summons had no sooner come._

_It wasn't until he sat at his apartment's tiny table for an early lunch did Wilson come to retrieve him and lead him to a conference room._

_"Are you sleeping with my Daughter?"_

_He was greeted with Stark and Steve standing around the room's large table. They looked exhausted. Steve still in his tuxedo minus the tie and coat. Stark obviously had time to change but his face was undeniable. He had been up all night._

_The table separating them was littered with coffee mugs, printouts and at some point someone had brought in a load of cheap fast food._

_At the head of the table was a makeshift computer station set up next to a wall of pictures tacked to the wall. Every picture was a face of men Bucky did not recognize._

_"Excuse me?" Bucky glowered._

_"Stark." Steve raised an eased hand. "We can agree there are more pressing matters, yes?" Steve commanded full attention. He motioned for Bucky to fully enter the space as to allow Wilson to make it in the room to enter as well. "We need to talk, Buck._

_"Yeah. I figured that much. Don't worry, I won't be asking for severance."_

_"You won't be asking for?-" Stark huffed out and was ready to throw a punch before Steve raises a hand yet again to ward him off._

_Stark bites back his anger and Steve pins the older man a look before facing Bucky._

_"We hope you're not leaving at all actually." Steve's hand make it into his pockets._

_"You can't be serious?" Bucky suppresses the inappropriate urge to laugh._

_Stark goes to the area housing the computer and grabbed a file._

_"And your not with my daughter?" He questioned Bucky again as he removed pictures from a large stack. He laid each down one by one with a heavy hand. "Are you sure about that?"_

_Each picture was a surveillance type shot of him and Darcy. Each showing them interacting. Fondly._

_There were pictures of Darcy on the back of his bike. Her hands gripped around him. His_

_hand on top of her's while they wait at a stoplight._

_There were pictures of the day she talked him into chasing down that Ice Cream truck. He looks so blissfully dazed with Dopeamine laughing at the bit of soft serve on Darcy's nose. The space around their legs littered with the half dozen of neighborhood kids she had treated to a cone._

_There were handful more. All pictures of them. All pictures of Bucky so entirely enamored. Poor fool. He never really possessed the reserve he thought he had, had he? No wonder Darcy was so convinced her returned her affection. Unbeknownst to him he wore it as plain as day._

_Even in the paparazzi snap from last night. His hand held back to her. The knowledge that he had pretty much sealed his professional fate and his concern for her making her way through the crowd was a certain sense of instinctual duty for him._

_Then there was the final picture tucked on the bottom of the pile. It was the day on the roof Darcy had cried in his arms._

_It didn't show her face but his was haunting. His brow furrowed with tight worry and his stance protective and unyielding._

_This was when the intrusion infuriated him._

_"How?" He asked through a tight jaw. "I would have known, been aware. How did you get these?" He balls a first and draws in a breath._

_"Apparently you're not as immune to distraction as you assume you are, Romeo." Tony crosses his arms over his chest._

_"Okay, then **why?"**  He spoke to make it clear he wanted some answers. He looks at Steve but Tony starts._

_"Please." Stark huffed. "I was not going to let my daughter be looked after by Faceless or Without-a-Name, or whatever ominous suto-superhero name the Government bestowed upon you, without gathering some of my own intel on her safety. Imagine my surprise when I see just how well a job you were doing of keeping her close."_

_"You knew about this?" Bucky turned his attention to Steve who at least looked apologetic._

_"Not at first." He offered. "Not until Tony had made it back to the States." Steve points out his bottom lip and shakes his head. "I didn't see anything to concern me in these either." He motions to the pile of photos and looked pointedly at Bucky. Bucky knew it was some sort of blessing though Bucky didn't need it._

_He was a moment away from telling him such when Barton walked through the room's far door. The man looked like he had been in a rumble to say the least. His eye black, a bandage across his nose and lip still a bit swollen. Bucky could guess from the way he favored his left side, there and been some bruising._

_Barton nodded to Bucky and stood quietly in the corner. Steve drew the room back to attention._

_"So why am I here? If you're not going to fire me? I understand I deserve a reprimanding for last night but you're taking some time getting to it."_

_Stark walked over to the wall containing the pinned photos of men. He removed one from the wall and tossed it on top of the pile of photos of Bucky and Darcy._

_"Recognize him?" Stark pointed to the photo with a limp toss of the hand._

_Bucky leaned over the table's edge. The man was certainly less put together in the grainy surveillance photo but Bucky recognized those eyes. More importantly he recognized the way the leered at the camera. It was the same way they had leered at Darcy the night before. The hair on the back of his neck stand on end._

_"That's the guy trying to get Darcy alone last night. What the Hell is this?"_

_"This is the enemy making contact." Steve answers with a chill as he reached over and tapped a finger on the man's picture._

_"You think he was going to take Darcy?" Bucky had to fight to forced down a tingle at the base of his skull. Training somewhere deep within him is threatening to surface with the idea Darcy was anywhere near danger without him knowing._

_"Not exactly." Steve began to work a knot in his neck._

_"Damn it! Someone tell me what the **fuck** is going on here! Quit this talking in circles Bullshit or so help me, Darcy and I will be so far gone that you'll have to send word by carrier pigeons that you've finally got your thumbs outa your asses." _

_Barton had to stifle a laugh at Bucky's out of school outburst. He gives Bucky an approving smile._

_Steve took a deep breath._

_"Here's what we know; Clint was able to make The man, Rumlow, as well as his so called security detail last night as soon as you began interacting with them."_

_Bucky looked to Barton. That's why the Comms had gone silent._

_"Nat?" Bucky asked with immediate concern. Barton waved him off._

_"She's fine. A little smug she had to swing in and save my ass but she's fine. She's off gathering intel. I recognized Rumlow from a mission gone very, very bad back when I was enlisted. He's no Nobility." Barton delivered that last note as a matter of fact._

_Steve began again._

_"Then men have been made as members of the terrorist organizations: Hydra. One we have been fielding threats from for years. Even before my time at Stark Industries. Which is not at all surprising. The Starks weren't exactly designing and producing Rainbows and Butterflies all those years. There is no shortage of enemies. We asset threats everyday._

_They have known about Darcy for some time. There has never been real concern to their interest in her until she was outed. With the increased coverage, came along an increased interest. The fact that the World now knows about her means capturing her... or worse-" Steve slowed at those words and made sure Bucky was fit enough for him to continue. "would be a bigger draw for the group. They stand more to gain."_

_"None of this is new. Isn't that why I'm all over her every day." Stark choked at Bucky choice of phrasing but Bucky plays coy like he didn't mean to verbally jab him._

_"That's why Darcy has always had a detail, yes Things now are a little more complicated."_

_"Meaning?" Bucky wanted everything out in the open. Whatever it is he was not being told. He watched Stark and Steve regard each other. The look heavy with unspoken conversation. Then Bucky noticed that words weren't the only missing. "Punk, why isn't the FBI in this room with us?"_

_Steve looked at Stark one last time._

_"For one, it would take too much time to get them caught up. We have years of backlogged threats to shift through. While that's all being tied up in Government red tape, Darcy would be held in some sort of Government handled protection and out of our hands. Honestly, were not entirely sure who we can trust at the moment. You heard Clint, he severed with Rumlow. He was U.S. Army. You should have seen his papers last night too. Whomever helped him forge documents to get pass our security wasn't using some Mom and Pop laminating machine and meek hacking skills. We think most major agency have been infiltrated. At this point I don't trust anyone I don't hand pick." Steve slowed dipped his head a bit. "Which, sorry about springing Nat on you. I'm kinda limited on my pool of fully vetted back up detail at the moment."_

_All Bucky can do is roll his eyes and give a small shrug. What did it matter now?_

_Bucky went quiet and the weight settled in. These men weren't some random Wacko making threats. They were organized, calculated. Something in the way Steve was approaching it was too caviler. Bucky was quietly trying to piece it all together._

_And then it dawned on him._

_"You're still the same reckless little shit you we're when we were kids, Rogers." He bites out "This isn't us playing Cops and Robbers. You're not seriously thinking about drawing them out? You're not Army anymore, Steve. You ready to go to prison for gunning down on of these Assholes? I don't think private sector security really has the jurisdiction you're operating on. And don't assume for one second it pass by me how you planning on dangling Darcy like a carrot. I ain't standing for that!" Bucky had planned on coming into the room with his face schooled the entire time Steve lowered the ax and sent him packing. He did not plan on becoming this angry nor this close to jumping the table a bashing his friend's thick skull in._

_"We are completely within our right to shoot to protect." Steve gave an almost challenging half shrug. "And for what it's worth, we had never once planned on using Darcy to get to the bottom of this. You sort of set that one up for us." Steve finished without explanation._

_"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"_

_"Allow me." Stark interjected and it stopped Bucky from getting the jump on Steve. "You see, if I am able to get these lovely candids of you and my daughter looking all doey eyed around Manhattan and I am just a concern Father looking out for her virtue-" Bucky pinned him with a look that suggest that he wasn't going to buy the idea of Stark being an average run of the mill father but a billionaire with hundreds of lackeys at his disposal and ready to do his spying. Stark didn't let it move him."imagine what kind of show you were putting on for someone with more sinners intentions."_

_"Someone translate Asshole for me." Bucky called out and Stark merely smirked._

_"They think you're bumping uglies." Barton piped up from his corner of the room._

_So Hydra and Nat had the same meddling mind set._

_"More importantly, they think you're 'laxed or distracted. Possibly not even her detail all together but her lover." Steve waited for Bucky to process and make eye contact with him. "We think last night was a test. To see how you would react. It would have been too obvious a move to simply slip Darcy out of plain sight. It's not really their MO."_

_Bucky brought a hand over the 5 o'clock shadow from not shaving this morning. He scratched along the stubble._

_"Congratulations, Lover Boy. You passed." Stark offered dryly. "Who would have thought carrying a Debutante over your shoulder, like a Neanderthal, pass all of the Upper East Side would actually be celebrated, huh?"_

_Bucky's hand went slowly away from his face and he crossed his arms._

_"What now?"_

_"Well," Steve started. "We think they are recoiling. We have Rumlow and the other two in custody. We are not technically allowed to hold them but I don't really see them going to the police with false imprisonment claims so we'll press our luck. Though we want them to report what they witnessed between you and Darcy. We want them thinking it's a blind spot for us. Then, when are confident in our stance we'll let 'em go.You two will continue on as normal because as far as Darcy knows, nothing is of concern and we care to keep it that way. Then when they strike because believe me, they will strike, we take 'em out and expose them."_

_"No." Bucky slowly moved his head from one side to the other._

_"It's not really a starting off point for discussion, Buck." Steve was stern in trying to remain the one in command._

_"The Hell it's not." Bucky mirrored the tone_ _. "Aside from needing me as a crucial part of your plan, anyone care to tell me why Darcy isn't in here? Why we feel so entitled to play fast and lose with her safety and never, not once, hear what she has to say about it?" Bucky looks between Stark and Steve to brow beat them. "No. You know what? You get her in here right now. If our choices are this half baked vigilante bullshit or U.S. Marshalls relocating her to New Mexico, then I want her in on this." Bucky shifts to indicate both his physical being and firm resolve were unyielding._

_There is a brief standoff but embarrassingly short lived when it's obvious Bucky was not in the mood to have his mind changed. Steve sighed and motioned to Wilson._

_"Please go locate Ms. Lewis." Steve dismissed Wilson to track down Darcy but Bucky's physical stance did not change._

_"Well, as fun as this showdown looks, I am going to go tinker on the ole keyboard and see what else I can dig up." Stark retreated to the small computer area and Barton_ _joined him._

_The air grew thick between Bucky and Steve. Neither man wanted to be the first to say the many things they are decidedly not saying._

_Steve broke first._

_"Look, Buck. You gotta know this was never the plan. I didn't bring you in on this to use her as bait. I certainly didn't plan on anyone, especially you, developing feelings for one another-"_

_"I never said I had them." Bucky knew it was childish to deny them by this point. He just didn't want to offer Steve any edge._

_"Okay. Sure." Steve's smirk did nothing to break the tension but it helped. "All I am saying is Darcy's safety has always been priority number one. The way of going about it has just changed a bit is all."_

_"If that were the case, why is she assigned a single person detail when there is a Goddamn mark on her head?"_

_"That's why I gave her **you**." Steve said pointedly. "Name one person in the World she is safer with than you, huh?" Steve's eyes linger on Bucky's metal arm. He knew Steve was referring to his training._

_"I was made to be a monster, not a hero." Bucky dimmed a little._

_"You were **born** a hero, Buck. And now you'll be her Champion." Steve ducked his head to meet Bucky's fallen eye line._

_Bucky huffed a small laugh._

_"She would jump at the chance to make fun of you for talking all stupid and cheesy like that. You know that?"_

_"Oh. I know." Steve replied lightheartedly before his eyes fall on the door behind Bucky._

_He felt her enter the room before Stark even had the chance to address her._

_"Are you sleeping with him?" Stark pointed directly to Bucky._

_"No but not because of a lack of effort on my behalf. Let me tell you!" He hears the pride of her quip in her voice. The same admiration seen across Clint's face on the other side of the room._

_"Very lady like, daughter dear." Stark chastised and Darcy grins brightly out of his peripheral._

_"So, what brings me down here? You guys looking for a second act to my and Barnes' feat of acrobatic prowess? Because, we don't exactly work for free."_

_"Darcy." Steve interrupted and the room stilled at the tone._

_Bucky walked the few steps over to her and stood as shoulder to shoulder with her as the height difference would allow. He readied_ _himself to take on the news with her. Not as a shield but as an equal._

_Steve proceeded to tell her everything._

_Everything._

_It took some time._

_When Steve finished Bucky takes a step out and turned to face Darcy. He waited for her reaction as she just kind of stared off._

_"Darcy?" He asked hesitantly._

_She put up a hand to stop him. She just kept staring. Processing._

_"Wait." All eyes focused further on her. "Wait. So that good looking, though be it smarmy, guy from last night was only flirting with me because he thinks Barnes is in love with me? I feel as if that is a total waste of my dress. I mean did you see my dress?!"_

_"Darcy." Bucky pleaded with a sigh._

_"What?" She snapped at him. "I'm still processing the rest, al'right?"_

_The room eases as she went about staring again._

_Bucky's hold doesn't change._

_"Okay. So now I have to decide what we are going to do about it? I have a say?"_

_Bucky looked back at Steve who looked at Stark. Stark nodded to Steve who dipped his head to Bucky. Bucky turned to Darcy._

_"You have the only say that matters, Darlin." He directed with clear, control dictation._

_"And you'll be there?" She asked him a little less clear. A little less certain._

_"If I have to find a way to get myself in Government protection right next to you, I will." Bucky tries to smile to offer comfort._

_"Okay. Let's do it then." Darcy announces._

_"Do what, Darcy? You've got to be completely clear about what you want done." To his credit, Steve was handling giving up the reigns of control admirably._

_"Let's draw them out. Let's get this over with."_

_"Darlin-" Bucky stepped forward. He was all for giving Darcy her voice, he just wouldn't deny that he was hoping she would chose the other option._

_"No." She stopped him. "I know what you're gong to say. That it's not safe. That there are no guarantees about anything at this point but Barnes-" She swallowed. "This could be my ticket out. I can't spend half of my adult life waiting for my life my life to start. I may never be safe again for all I know but it will be on my terms!"_

_"Are you sure, my courageous girl?" Stark sought to confirm from behind Bucky and Darcy gave him a sad yet assured smile._

_"I guess they underestimated going up against a Lewis woman, huh?" She went to wipe a single tear from her cheek when Bucky got to it first. He let his hand linger under her chin and his eyes catch her's._

_She was all bravery and fire this one._

_Steve was the one to clear his throat and break Bucky and Darcy's connection._

_"Well. I think that's all we need from you two for now. Give us an hour or so and we'll go over a game plan and how to implement."_

_Bucky turns to bid farewell to every other man in the room before taking Darcy's hand._

_"Come on. Your training stars NOW." He left no room for argument._

_Darcy began humming an obnoxious tune as they make their way out the conference room. Right as Bucky started to place it she sang out._

_"_ My boyfriend's back

And you're gonna be in trouble. _"_

 _Bucky stopped quick on his heal and Darcy collided with his back with an umph._ _He handed her a look know to make grown men cower._

_Darcy beams brightly._

_"I'm just trying to lighten the mood!" She explained playfully._

_"You're trying to get me killed."_

_"Relax. You do know my Dad is the Stark who stopped making guns, right?" She smiles but it has no warmth, no light._

_Bucky knows a lot of her courage is wrapped up in the ability to appear unaffected. She has been coaxing him to her particular brand of avoidance. Bucky knows he was going to have to do one better._

_Mission: Protect Darcy. Without distraction._

_"_ A little helpful advice?" Clint motions back to the cheeseburger Darcy holds to her mouth. "Your training today is going to really blow after all that cheesy goodness." Clint grabs a small handful of fries and Darcy swats his hand away.

"A) I did not give you the go ahead for said advice so whatever you just said is Null and Void. Thank you very much. B) Are we entirely sure all of this training is really necessary? I mean-"

"Yes." Bucky firmly answers from his spot across the room. Darcy rolls her eyes pointedly and this round of the tired conversation is dropped for now.

"So what do you two lovebirds have planned for the rest of the day?" Clint waggles his eyebrows and it was Bucky's turn roll his eyes.

_The first two and half days after being included in the fold, Darcy and Bucky remained in the Tower. They had gone over intermediate tactical training, basic weapons handling, and overall "quit being a brat and let me keep you safe" conditioning._

_It was agreed that Darcy and Bucky would keep up a more than friendly appearances outside of the Tower. That they would actively seek out chances to be seen interacting more than what one would consider strictly professional and allow Steve's team to track whomever was tracking them._

_Bucky won't admit that pulling Darcy into him and securing his arms around her the very first steps out of the Tower were because he had been waiting for the excuse to hold her._

_He won't admit it but it doesn't stop him. His nose in her hair and hands flat against the curve of her back. He had been a wreck the last two days. The only sleep he had managed to pull was sitting on the floor outside of her room with his back proping him up against the wall next to the door frame. He objectively knew she was safe within the Tower but it did nothing to squelch the needs to see to it personally. The first night he had found Nat sitting in the very spot he had planned to claim. The redhead's hand on her weapon at his approach and a knowing smile when he made himself known. He had wordlessly taken a seat next to his ex and took first watch so she may lay her head on his shoulder have a chance to close her eyes._

_He won't admit he is holding Darcy now to ready himself, to remind him why they are doing this and what he is fighting for._

_"I thought I told you at that Luncheon to stop looking for reasons to groped me?" He drew back and Darcy's lips are pulled into an accusing smirk and her eyebrow playfully arched._

_Right. He remembers. He was going to have to do this without any needless camaraderie. He needs to remain aloof in order to keep remain objective._

_No distractions._

"Back to the Tower." Bucky says without emotions. "It's been too quiet for going on three days now. I don't like it"

Barton agrees with a grunt around his bite of food.

"I was actually kinda hoping we could swing by that bookshop up the street? I am kinda running out of decent material with so much time to fill in my captivity. And since you guys have already taken the liberty of making sure Larry came up clean, I would really hate to fall behind on our reading list... Should he actually _want_ to continue our meetings." The eyes she gives are meant exclusively for Bucky. He recognizes them now with his self imposed distance. It was how she worked him into getting her way and his encourage his guard to fall the entire time he was her only detail.

"I'll see to it that someone gets you a Kindle. Finish up. We're going back to the Tower."

Darcy sulked genuinely into one more bite of her burger before tossing the untouched two-thirds back into the container and closing the lid. He could have easily let her have her excursion seeing how it was on the route home. He won't though. He was making good on seeing things down the same smooth, defiance free course he began them on over two weeks ago.

Bucky soon follows her lead and cleans up the remains of his own meal. He stands and retrieves Darcy's portion before placing them both in the refrigerator.

Darcy heads off to the bathroom with the sound of the toilet flush and the water running, Barton takes advantage of the privacy.

"I agree on the trail going quiet. It's never a good sign. Especially when you're trying to stay a step ahead. Be careful on the way back." Bucky nods numbly in agreement. His mind going into a tucked away corner and pulling out any bit of his former training to aid travel home.

Darcy emerges and it is clear she is dispirited at the idea of her small amount of daily time out of the Tower would be cut short today.

Internally he is doing the mental version of a chest sag. He knows he is being controlling. Ever since he had been made aware of the severity of the threat against Darcy, he's somehow managed to understand how Steve and Stark wanted to keep it close to their chest and personally see to her safety. They not only cared whole heartily, they were scared out their minds something would happen to her.

He motions for her to follow him to the door.

"Al'right Perv, stay out of my underwear drawer!" She says in lieu of a goodbye to Barton.

"I can promise not to go through it _again_ but we both know I would be lying." Barton laughs at the pair's retreat.

Darcy laughs but it's not whole. Bucky hates his role.

Once outside the apartment and at the tip of the landing to the stairs leaning down to the lobby Bucky thinks it best to fill Darcy in rather than leave the constant need to gauge her crestfallen mood all the way back to the Tower and leave him distracted.

He stops short and puts up an arm to stop her from continuing on. He turns so his back is against the wall and leaving space for any neighbors wanting to use the stairs. He redirects Darcy so she stands right in front of him. He brackets her with a hand on either arm.

"Hey?" He calls her attention up to meet his eyes but she does not. "Hey. Darlin'. Look at me, please?" He asks with a slight movement of his hands to move her arms. She reluctantly meets his eye contact.

"I want to be honest with you. You deserve that much. I don't have a good feeling, al'right?" His hand smooths up her arm on its own violation. "I want to get you back to the heavily secured Tower so I am a little less constantly concern with your safety and a little freer to help the cause and get you the hell out of this mess. I can't do that when I am terrified out here." Okay. He could have stopped at the first part. 

Darcy gives the first genuine look of contentment he's seen all day. Maybe he said just enough after all.

"Okay Barnes. Thanks for being honest with me." Her head goes into a peppy nod and her smile brightens. It was as if it erased some of her grief. Just like that.

Bucky sighs. This woman.

"Wait!" Darcy shouts just as Bucky makes the slightest move to continue on. "I mean, if you really think they're watching that closely?" Darcy brings her hands up to rumple the bottom of Bucky's shirt and tuck the slightest bit into the front. She then brings both hands up to rack through his hair. She pulls back and eyes him thoughtfully before leaning in and delivering a chaste press of her lipstick covered lips to the bottom left corner of his mouth. She smirks before moving thumb over where the contact was. She isn't wiping of the evidence so much as she was smearing it. Making it appear realistic.

She leans back to survey her work and the second peppy nod she gives lightens Bucky considerably. 

"There." She announces approvingly. "I _am_  a Stark. I have a reputation to uphold. Can't let them think I don't give as good as I get."

Bucky rolls his eyes but at least it was in fond admiration. He can't say it was a horrible added effect to the charade honestly. Though when he moves past her and she playfully swats his behind, Bucky suspects she's having a little too much fun with it.

By the grace of God they make it to the front curb without Darcy adding in anymore details to their cover. It doesn't stop her from showboating her triumphant grin as he begins to hail a cab. It was almost challenging really. He had to do it.

He had to tug at the hand he held and draw her into him. Once he was turned and their fronts pressed, he wrapped his arms around hers so she doesn't instinctively pull back and blow the facade. He smiles wide before dipping his head to slant his lips over her's to proceed to give her a single yet deep closed mouthed kiss in front of both of their smiles.

"Can't have them thinking I don't give as good as I get." He mimics with his lips hover over her ear before playfully returning the same gesture to her behind she shared with him on the stairs.

Bucky hadn't heard Darcy laugh that freely since before she made her way to his living quarters. Bucky can't help but join in and let it lighten him as he still holds her hand and continues on trying to call a cab.

...and then the feeling hits.

They are being watched. Furthermore they are being watched in close proximity. His vision figuratively tunnels. He drops the hand waiting on transport. He scans the other side of the street. Nothing there but that wasn't surprising.  It wasn't as if they were going to be so careless as to watch from the most obvious vantage. He scans the building tops looking for a telling flash of light from a rifle scope. Thankfully, nothing.

Darcy is coming down from her laughter and not yet clued into his change. He thinks he must have been swift with his assessment.

Then two car doors close almost simultaneously on the side of him where Darcy wasn't. He turns his head enough to see the men without really need to make it obvious he was looking. The were exiting a non-descriptive sedan. 

 _Clever_. Bucky thinks. A van would have been too obvious.

There was no doubt where their attention was focused, however. Bucky can practically read their non-verbal communication. They were coming for them.

Bucky turns Darcy and himself the opposite direction abruptly and drapes his right arm over her shoulders and draws her in with a firm, careful grip. 

"Let's take a walk, Darlin'." He directs them away from the two men attempting to covertly trail behind them a single block. Bucky turns to press his mouth into Darcy's temple. In doing so he assess the men's plan and risk a look. The taller of the two has pulled back. Suddenly seemingly interested in a store front window display though continuing glances their way. The second man has stayed on course but considerably slowed his steps in an attempt to not draw attention. 

"Darcy. Keep your eyes straight ahead. Do not change your steps." His command sharp and tactical but nothing to heighten Darcy's flight or fight response. He wants her as clear headed as possible. "I need you to slowly reach into the top zipper pocket of you bag and active your panic button." Bucky keeps her pressed into him and furthers his weight on the press of his lips on her temple to stop her from trying to look back. "Shh. Easy there. Whatever it is, I am going to help you get yourself out of it. Okay. I just need you to press the button. Can you do you do that for us?"

Darcy nods slowly before unzipping the top of her canvas messenger bag and doing as he says. 

"Great. Okay. Listen for my cue, al'right? We'll be home before you know it." 

They walk another block more. Bucky uses the time to hone in on the sound of the other man's footsteps. There is nothing urgent in them and they weren't exactly subtle. Bucky figures they must be there to corral them. They must be leading them to a greater unknown. Bucky has one of two options.

First he can stagger their course, make it hard for the men to relay a spot to initiate contact for whomever the men were leading them to. Bucky and Darcy could lead a small goose chase until the cavalry arrived.

Bucky let's his eyes move over the urban landscape once more before deciding to go with a second plan.

He could incapacitate both men. You can't give away positions when your your out cold.

Without warning he swiftly moves Darcy into an open alleyway but remains near the mouth. He directs until her back is nearly against the wall and she still faces the same direction they had been walking. He turns to face her so his right arm is to the street. The men would have picked up their steps to get a visual by now. He knows he doesn't have much time. He bends to retrieve his gun from his ankle holster. He addresses Darcy on his way down.

"Do you have your tazer?"

Darcy frantically shakes her head "yes" and pulls it out of her bag with her right hand and palm it to her chest.

"Well prepared, Solider. Great job." Bucky is standing once more. "Give me this hand." He moves his gun to his left and accepts Darcy left hand into his right. He snakes both of their hands behind his back. "Grab a handful of my shirt." Darcy obeys swallowing heavily and breath quickening. Bucky wants to assure her but now is the time for action. "You listen to me. Just focus on me, al'right?" He doesn't wait for her to continue. He knows he has a captive audience and very little time. "You don't let go of my shirt. I don't care what happens. Okay? You just keep holding on. If someone touches you, you taze 'em got it?"

Darcy nods again. Bucky has never heard her so mute. The anger at her fear is what fuels him right now.

Bucky transforms then. He becomes someone he fought so long to hide within himself. The next series of moves will be carried out on pure instinct.

With Darcy still holding on to his shirt his mindful in swinging his right arm up and over her head so he stands with his back to her. Darcy secures her hold and Bucky waits. 

The steps coming up the street quicken and the approach is near. He listens. The man is in a full sprint now and without the hint of slowing, Bucky knows he is unaware of their position. 

He is able to use the man's momentum against him. Bucky throws his metal elbow out to connect with the man's chest and sharply lifts his forearm to connect with the guy's face. Now stunned with the air knocked out of him, the stranger is no struggle for Bucky to reach the man's neck and shoulder and flip him over Bucky's left shoulder and on to his back to lay at Bucky's feet. Bucky bends at one knee His shirt tugs until Darcy catches up with the movements. Bucky reaches the man and grabs what tuft of hair he can with the same hand holding his gun. He lifts the man's head and connects two solid, consecutive punches to the fallen man's face. They weren't delivered with his metal arm but enough to do the trick seeing how the man, though alive, is unresponsive.

Bucky drags the man further into the alley all with Darcy along for the ride. He straightens, his back still to Darcy. He gestures at the man without really turning his head.

"He moves? You light him up."

He moves them back to their original spot and now he waits again. As he predicted, there is no honor among thieves. The second man had no choice but be made aware his comrades had stepped out of his range of sight along with their marks. He hadn't rush to help or check for damages. He waited for the other man to meet his fate hoping Bucky had taken off towards the other end of the alley in the meantime.

Whoever Bucky is at the moment is increasingly excited for the idea of taking out a coward. An almost snarl like breath escapes him as he readies himself for the other mans slow steps towards them.

The man had his gun drawn but obviously was not expecting Bucky to be so close. As the man raises his gun Bucky knocks into the surprised foe's forearm, knocking the pistol from his grip. The man fumble to keep hold of his weapon but it's almost comical compared to the finesse Bucky has in retrieving the airborne gun. He plucks it out of the air with ease and effortlessly pistol whips the intruder with it. He drop as easy as the man before him.

Well that task was taken care of.

"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. This is really happening. Shit just got real. Repeat: Shit. Just. Got. Real." Darcy's breathing picks up with each word and it's enough to draw Bucky out of himself and alert him that she might be having a panic attack. He reaches behind him and put his hand over the one holding on to him.

"Darce? You can let go now, Darlin'. You did so good." He squeezes reassuringly yet Darcy hesitates a moment before dropping her fistful.

Bucky turns quickly and assess Darcy's state. He has either hand of the sides of her face despite his palmed hand gun and he his looking her over frantically.

"You okay? You still with me? Christ, Darcy." He is still fretting over her when she holds her chin up.

"I'm fine but if it's all the same to you, I would really like to get as far away from here as possible."

Bucky smiles. Of course there would be no tears. No damsel in distress fluttering of eyelashes. No big show of just how scared she really was.

"Sure thing, Darlin'." He salutes and peeks around the alley opening closes to them. Help and extraction should be here by now.

His attention is brought back towards the far end of the alley when a black van screeches to a halt and the backdoor slams open. 

"A van? That's original." Bucky can only grunt in agreement with Darcy's assessment.

Darcy waste no time in taking her initial spot with her hand wrapped in the back of Bucky's shirt. Only this time their fronts are pressed together.

A man in black comes running at full speed from the vehicle. He does not have a gun drawn,  Bucky assumes that they mean to take Darcy alive and a fire fight could complicate things. The running man must be meant for hand to hand against Bucky.

Luckily Bucky did in fact _his_  weapon at the ready.

With their positioning, Bucky will have to shoot with his left hand. Not ideal but not something to hinder him. He places his free hand over Darcy's far ear and presses her head tightly to his chest to lessen the sound. 

"Close your eyes." He commands.

Bucky lifts his left arm straight out and steady. With two quick shots he hits his targets square on; each of the man's knee caps. He won't be running head on at anyone for a long time.

Right before the man hits the concrete there is movement from the van's front passenger window. The familiar form sniper rifle is being prop on the half opened window. Bucky presses Darcy further into him indicating he was going to take another shot.

As soon as the hand is on the rifle, Bucky aims right for it. His shot is precise. He hits the finger reaching for the rifle's trigger. He has not lost any of his hard earned skills.

The sniper flings back into the cab of the van. Bucky doesn't wait for them to regroup. The cops will be here soon due to the sounds of gunshots echoing through an otherwise quiet neighborhood. 

He grabs Darcy's hand and takes off out of his end of the alley. He has them running back towards Darcy apartment. The pace unrelenting. They run until he spots Wilson driving the extraction vehicle. He turns sharp and darts out into the street. He reaches the car door and swings it open to nearly push Darcy through and flings himself on top of her across the backseat. 

"Get us the Hell out of here!" Is shouted before Wilson guns it to the Tower.

 

* * *

Bucky hadn't so much at breaking contact with Darcy the entire ride back to the Tower. Arriving into the secure garage and right up next to the elevator wasn't enough of a reason to get him to let go now. He's not sure what would be enough.

It is as much to assure him that she is physically unharmed as it is to make sure everything he had to tap into was good and tucked away before they checked in.

She was safe. He had done his job.

They rode the elevator up to the conference room still being used as a command center. Only now the room had many more men and a significant heavier buzz in the air. 

Steve stood near the center of the room. He was giving commands into a phone to his ear and reading over papers being put in his eye line. Nodding yes or no to whomever had a turn at presenting the notes.

Steve's speech quiets when spots Bucky walk in. He dips into the phone.

"Be sure everyone sticks to their positioning and get someone to bring me whatever Barton has noted." Steve ends the call and regards Bucky briefly before focusing on Darcy.

"Are you okay, Ms. Lewis?" He inquires genuinely as he removes his coat and rounds Bucky and slips it over her shoulders. He lingers with a questioning once over. He is assessing her general well-being seeing how she hadn't as much even corrected his use of "Ms. Lewis."

Bucky cranes his neck to see she is at least nodding along to question. It eases him a little but not much.

"What do we know?" Bucky questions.

Steve's look was an uncomfortable combination of apologetic and mortified. His shoulder sags before he head falls slightly and he shrugs.

"Not much." 

"What do you mean  _not much?!_ The plan was to draw 'em out. There was an alley full of second rate henchmen twenty minutes ago.You saying that got you nothin'?"

Steve sighs but accepted Bucky's anger.

"I'm saying they clean up after themselves rather efficiently. Alley was clear by the time I got my men there. We set up an immediate perimeter to flush out the command. Though orders must have been coming in remotely because  there was no one to find. They slipped through this time, Buck." Steve voice tightens slightly. "I'm sorry."

Fuck. 

Their cards were shown. Bucky wasn't merely a Boyfriend that could handle himself. He obviously was a plant. When they came at them again they would be aware. No more second string bad guys. They would take him out as soon as they had the chance.

He looks to Darcy. She was drawing the same conclusions. The worry lines of her brow marred her porcelain skin.

She catches Bucky looking her and her face smooth instantly. She straightens and her shoulders square.

"Where's my Dad?" Darcy voice is strong. Bucky squeezes her hand to reward her bravery.

"He was across town with Ms. Potts. Their details are taking precautions to bring them back in should the threat have shifted." Darcy's grip on Bucky's hand was not of assurance but fear. Her family was possibly in danger because Hydra couldn't capture her.

Her eyes plead with Bucky. He is just not sure for what. He stays pinned in her trance as he best thinks of a way out of the hole they had fallen deeper into.

He can't do anything to deflate the bloated mess things had become but he knew he could at least do right by her. Give her what she needs at the moment.

Bucky doesn't take his eyes from Darcy. He holds steady and addresses Steve.

"We're going off grid." He says to Steve while looking at Darcy. Her face more blank in its acceptance than questioning.

"Buck?" Steve begins. 

"No. Steve." Bucky pulls his eyes from Darcy. "We did things this way. Reckless and head on." Bucky isn't accusing, he just is stating facts. "Now I am going to do my job, my way."

Steve looks for Darcy's reaction.

He should probably had done the same to be honest.

He turns back to Darcy.

"Do you trust me?"

She give a firm, determined nod of confirmation. Bucky faces Steve.

"I'm taking her off grid. You guys figure this all out. Darcy's immediate safety is my responsibility from here on out."

Steve regards Bucky heavily. It's consuming and calculative. After a long moment he relents. He gives his his blessings by way of motioning to the door.

Bucky waste no time in making his departure. Before they reach the door, Steve calls out.

"Be careful, Jerk."

"Of course, Punk."

And Bucky tugs at Darcy's hand to lead her out of the door and up to pack a single bag for their journey. 


End file.
